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V 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 
THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 


GIFT  OF 

William  E.   Colby 


She  seemed  to  read  in  his  small  glittering  eyes  something  fiendlike." 

Drawn  by  Modest  Stein. 


The 
Breath  of  the  Dragon 


By 

A.  H.  Fitch 


G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons 
New  York  and  London 

Cbe    fmfcfcorbocRcr    pceee 
1916 


COPYRIGHT,  1916 

BY 

A.  H.  PITCH 

Third  Ijnpression 


GIFT 


Ube  ftttfcfcetbocfcer  |>tc00f  "ftcw  JBorfc 


Go 

THE   MEMORY 
OF 

MY   MOTHER 


M781759 


qe 

v 

- 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  *AGB 

I. — AN  ESCAPE  AND  A  MEETING         .        i 

II. — TRICKED 9 

III. — SOME  GOSSIP  AND  A  DINNER        .      25 

IV. — THE  BEGGAR  WOMAN   ...      33 

V.-— A  TRANSFORMATION      ...      43 

VI.— -THE  BREATH  OF  THE  DRAGON       .      57 

VII. — THE  GREAT  EMPRESS  DOWAGER    .       74 

VIII. — THE  PERILS  IN  THE  PALACE          .      96 

IX.— THE  EUNUCH'S  STORY  .        .        .108 

X. — FAILURE 115 

XI. — THE  DEATH  SENTENCE          .        .132 

XII.— THE  PUPPET  EMPEROR  APPEARS    .     144 

XIII. — THE  SUMMONS  I  175 

XIV.— IMPERIAL  PLEASURES    .         .         .191 

XV. — A  DESPERATE  MIDNIGHT  VENTURE    200 

XVI.— THE  RACE 222 

XVII. — OUTWITTED 242 


vi  Contents 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

XVIII.— BETRAYED  .        .        \  262 

• 

XIX. — CONCERNING     PALACE     EUNUCHS 

AND  A  PALACE  PRISONER          .     296 

XX. — THE  INN  OF  PEACE  AND  SECURITY    308 

XXL— BACK  TO  PEKING          .         .         .     323 

XXII. — HOUSE  OF  THE  HENS'  FEATHERS  .     340 

XXIII.— THE  BEGGARS'  RAID     .         .         -353 

XXIV.— THE  GAMBLERS     .         .         .         .366 

XXV. — IN  THE  VILLA       . .       .         .         .371 

XXVL— IN  THE  HUT  OF  A  "DEVIL'S  PUPIL"      387 

XXVII. — BECAUSE    OF    LLA    THE   BACTRIAN 

CAMEL 419 

XXVIII.— ON  THE  CITY  WALL     .         .         .438 


The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 


The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 


CHAPTER  I 

AN  ESCAPE  AND  A  MEETING 

THE  house-boat  drew  near  a  large  village  and 
stopped.  On  the  deck  of  the  boat  three  people 
were  leisurely  taking  afternoon  tea.  Before  them 
stretched  the  silent,  creeping  Pei-ho,  sinuous  as 
a  serpent,  poisonous  as  its  fangs. 

Upon  the  opposite  bank  rose  graves,  hundreds 
upon  hundreds  of  them,  cone-shaped  like  potato- 
mounds  on  an  Indiana  farm.  Overhead  gleamed 
the  blue  bowl  of  the  Eastern  sky.  The  elderly 
gentleman,  whose  interest  in  afternoon  tea  was 
less  than  perfunctory,  stared  at  the  cone-shaped 
graves.  "Don't  think  much  of  the  view,"  he 
said  to  the  girl  by  his  side,  and  turned  his  chair 
to  face  the  village.  The  next  moment  he  was  on 
his  feet  gazing  intently  on  the  scene  before  him. 
The  girl  put  her  cup  down  suddenly  and  stared 
also.  A  tall  Chinese  was  racing  through  the  vil 
lage,  at  his  heels  a  score  or  more  of  soldiers.  Be- 

i 


2  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

fore  they  could  seize  him,  he  dashed  into  one  of 
the  huddled  galleried  houses  lining  the  street. 
His  pursuers  battered  violently  upon  the  barred 
door.  The  Americans  on  the  boat  could  hear 
the  loud  cracking  of  the  wooden  panels.  A  few 
minutes  later  they  saw  the  entrance  forced  and 
the  soldiers  rush  into  the  house. 

Almost  at  the  same  moment  a  foreigner  appeared 
from  the  rear  of  the  dwelling  and  sauntered  down 
the  street  toward  the  landing. 

There  was  a  sense  of  suppressed  excitement  in 
the  girl's  attitude  which  was  shared  by  the  man 
beside  her. 

"Mr.  Day!'*  she  exclaimed,  "did  you  see  him 
drop  from  the  balcony  behind  that  house?" 

"Yes,"  he  replied. 

'  A  babble  of  voices  came  echoing  down  the 
street.  The  soldiers  ran  from  the  house  again, 
shouting  angrily.  They  were  joined  by  a  crowd 
of  villagers  attracted  to  the  scene  by  the  uproar. 
The  foreigner,  apparently  indifferent  to  the  com 
motion  behind  him,  continued  his  leisurely  walk 
toward  the  landing.  Betty  Danford  with  diffi 
culty  controlled  her  excitement.  "Why  doesn't 
he  hurry!"  she  exclaimed  and  moved  by  an  irre 
sistible  impulse  she  called  to  him :  "  Run !  Run ! " 

The  yourig  man  glanced  up.  He  saw  a  slender 
girl  leaning  over  the  boat  railing,  her  pretty  face, 
with  anxiously  parted  lips,  framed  in  a  large  rose- 
trimmed  hat.  Then  he  turned  and  scanned  the 
street  behind  him. 


An  Escape  and  a  Meeting  3 

The  soldiers  had  separated  into  groups  of  four. 
Some  were  examining  the  neighbouring  houses; 
others  were  racing  down  the  street.  One  group 
was  headed  for  the  landing. 

As  the  young  man  approached  the  boat  he  lifted 
his  hat.  "I  beg  pardon,"  he  said,  addressing  Mr. 
Day.  "May  I  ask  if  you  have  passed  a  house 
boat  floating  our  flag?"  He  pointed  with  a 
pleasant  smile  on  his  lean,  brown  face  to  the  Stars 
and  Stripes  over  the  cabin  roof.  "My  boat  was 
to  call  for  me  here,"  he  explained;  "it  has  failed 
to  turn  up." 

"We  have  not  passed  a  house-boat,"  replied 
Mr.  Day,  throwing  a  swift  comprehensive  glance 
at  the  young  man's  attire.  It  was  distinctly  un 
tidy.  His  appearance  was  that  of  a  man  who  had 
dressed  in  extraordinary  haste;  his  well-fitting 
coat  was  buttoned  high  to  hide  the  absence  of  a 
vest;  he  was  collarless;  and  his  shoes  though  tied 
were  not  laced. 

The  soldiers  had  reached  the  rickety  wooden 
pier.  "Come  aboard,"  said  Mr.  Day  with  sharp 
abruptness. 

"Thank  you,"  returned  the  young  man  po 
litely;  "I  will  wait  here  a  few  minutes,"  and  he 
seated  himself  on  the  side  of  the  pier. 

The  crew  were  squatting  in  the  stern  of  the 
boat  absorbed  in  gambling  for  their  supper.  When 
they  heard  the  shouts  of  the  soldiers  speeding 
down  the  pier,  they  leaped  to  their  feet  to  watch 
them  curiously. 


4  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

Betty  Danford  stood  motionless  beside  her 
companions,  her  heart  throbbing  violently.  She 
felt  afraid  for  the  young  man.  He  however  was 
bending  down  whittling  a  bit  of  wood  unconcern 
edly.  The  soldiers  passed  him ;  to  them  he  was 
only  an  uninteresting  foreigner.  They  questioned 
the  crew  in  loud  shrill  tones,  and  were  answered 
indifferently.  They  scrutinized  the  face  and  ap 
pearance  of  each  man.  Not  satisfied  with  this 
inspection,  they  determined  to  search  the  boat. 
The  Chinese  captain  protested  vigorously.  Betty 
saw  the  young  man  on  the  pier  suddenly  stop 
whittling  and  half  rise  from  his  seat,  then  sink 
back  again,  his  eyes,  under  his  bent  head,  fixed 
with  keen,  alert  look  on  the  soldiers.  The  captain 
was  pointing  to  the  flag  fluttering  over  the  cabin. 
His  voice  was  threatening  and  indignant;  the 
crew  endorsed  his  remarks  vociferously.  But 
when  the  soldiers  pushed  impudently  past  them 
the  young  man  sprang  up  and  vaulting  the  low 
railing  confronted  them  on  the  deck.  Mr.  Day 
strode  toward  the  soldiers.  "Get  out  of  this!'* 
he  said  angrily.  His  gestures  not  his  words  were 
understood.  One  of  the  crew  seized  a  huge  oar 
to  emphasize  the  command.  It  failed  of  its  mark 
and  descended  with  force  on  Mr.  Day's  raised  arm, 
which  fell  limply  to  his  side.  Filled  with  con 
sternation  at  what  he  unwittingly  had  done  and 
fearing  the  wrath  of  the  captain  who  shrieked 
imprecations  at  him,  the  man  leaped  into  the 
river  and  with  swift  strokes  made  for  the  opposite 


An  Escape  and  a  Meeting  5 

shore.  Whereupon  the  soldiers  became  convinced 
that  the  fleeing  man  was  the  one  they  were  seek 
ing.  They  rushed  back  to  the  pier  to  procure  a 
row-boat  in  which  to  pursue  him. 

The  young  man  sprang  to  Mr.  Day's  side.  "  Is 
your  arm  badly  hurt?"  he  asked. 

"  Broken,"  returned  the  older  man  laconically, 
while  his  wife  and  Betty  hovered  anxiously  and 
helplessly  about  him.  The  young  stranger,  with 
a  certain  awkward  skill,  set  the  injured  man's  arm, 
applied  splints  procured  from  a  wicker  basket 
standing  on  deck,  and  bound  it  with  strips  of  table 
cloth  Betty  brought  from  the  cabin.  As  he  was 
occupied  with  this  task,  Mr.  Day  said  abruptly, 
"Young  man,  it  was  you  those  soldiers  were 
after." 

The  remark  was  received  composedly  by  the 
stranger,  nor  did  he  attempt  to  deny  the  asser 
tion.  "It  is  lucky  for  me  they  were  not  as  keen 
observers  as  you,"  he  replied  smiling  quietly. 
Then  he  introduced  himself.  "My  name  is  John 
Follingsbee.  The  soldiers  you  saw  are  encampd 
beyond  the  village.  They  are  taking  condemned 
prisoners  to  Tientsin  for  execution.  I  heard  it 
rumoured  that  a — that  someone  for  whom  I  had 
an  important  message  was  among  the  prisoners.  I 
went  to  the  camp,  but  was  refused  admittance  and 
got  in  by  strategy.  Unfortunately  I  was  detected 
coming  out.  The  soldiers  pursued  me  to  the 
village  where  I  eluded  them  by  running  into  a 
friend's  house,  docking  my  Chinese  clothes,  and 


6  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

escaping  by  the  rear  balcony  while  they  were 
forcing  an  entrance."  He  spoke  slowly  as  if 
giving  careful  thought  to  his  words. 

Betty's  eyes  shone.  "Did  you  succeed  in 
delivering  the  message?"  she  asked. 

"Message?"  he  queried,  then  added  quickly — 
"No — not  yet."  A  reply  which  might  have 
prompted  further  questionings  had  not  Mr.  Day 
swayed  unsteadily  forward.  Follingsbee  caught 
him  and  half  led,  half  carried  him  to  the  cabin 
lounge  where  he  soon  dropped  asleep,  exhausted. 
His  wife  kept  watch  beside  him. 

Out  on  the  deck  Betty  explained  to  Follingsbee, 
a  little  shyly,  that  she  was  the  daughter  of  Mr. 
Danford,  the  newly  appointed  Minister  to  China. 
Her  father  had  preceded  her  to  the  capital,  leav 
ing  her  to  follow  more  leisurely  with  their  friends, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Day,  who  after  visiting  the  lega 
tion  intended  returning  home  by  way  of  Japan. 

As  they  sat  and  talked  together  a  house-boat 
rounded  a  bend;  it  was  coming  downstream  to 
ward  them.  "That's  my  boat!"  exclaimed  Fol 
lingsbee  hailing  it. 

A  note  of  regret  was  perceptible  in  his  voice 
when,  turning  again  to  the  girl,  he  said:  "The  part 
ing  of  our  ways  has  come.  You  and  your  friends 
go  to  Peking — I  go  to  Tientsin." 

But  Betty's  friends  did  not  go  to  Peking.  Mrs. 
Day,  anxious  that  her  husband  should  have  medi 
cal  attendance  as  soon  as  possible,  determined  to 
return  to  Tientsin  and  later  sail  for  home.  The 


An  Escape  and  a  Meeting  7 

decision,  though  undoubtedly  wise  for  the  Days, 
was  at  best  an  awkward  one  for  Betty.  This  was 
duly  recognized  by  her  troubled  chaperone.  It 
was  Follingsbee  who  solved  their  difficulty.  "There 
is  a  small  mission  station  three  miles  inland  on  the 
opposite  shore.  It  may  be  that  the  missionaries 
there  will  be  glad  of  an  opportunity  to  visit  their 
confreres  in  Peking  and  will  accompany  Miss 
Danford.  In  that  event  my  house-boat  is  of  course 
entirely  at  Mr.  Day's  service,"  and  he  volunteered 
to  walk  to  the  station  and  interview  the  mission 
aries.  His  offer  was  gratefully  accepted.  The 
boats  crossed  the  river  and  were  tied  to  the  bank. 
Follingsbee,  with  long,  swinging  strides  went  cross 
country  to  the  mission  station.  On  his  return 
he  reported  the  successful  result  of  his  visit.  The 
missionary  and  his  wife  had  consented  to  accom 
pany  Betty  and  would  arrive  within  an  hour  or 
two. 

In  the  meanwhile  the  Days  and  their  baggage 
were  transferred  to  Follingsbee's  boat,  and  the 
injured  man  made  comfortable  in  his  new  cabin. 
When  the  missionaries  arrived  and  Betty  had 
bidden  her  friends  good-bye,  she  turned  to  Fol 
lingsbee  and  said  with  sweet  formality:  "When 
ever  you  come  to  Peking,  father  will  be  glad  to 
see  you." 

It  was  an  erroneous  statement  though  she  did 
not  know  it. 

"And  you?"  he  asked  before  he  could  check 
himself. 


8  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

"Yes, "  she  returned  smiling.  When  Betty  smiled 
two  charming  dimples  appeared  in  her  soft  cheeks. 
Follingsbee  was  thinking  of  them  as  his  boat  sailed 
down  the  Pei-ho,  a  phantom  ship  in  the  white 
moonlight. 


CHAPTER  II 

TRICKED 

BETTY'S  boat  remained  tied  to  the  bank  that 
night.  An  old  man  had  hastened  after  the  mis 
sionaries  with  the  information  that  two  of  their 
flock — the  old  man's  son  and  grandson — had  been 
dragged  to  prison.  They  were  falsely  accused  of 
having  assisted  Fen-Sha,  the  young  Chinese  re 
former  under  sentence  of  death  in  Tientsin,  to 
organize  in  their  village  one  of  his  many  " Young 
China  Clubs"  whose  purposes  were  the  promulga 
tion  of  progressive  ideas  obnoxious  to  the  Imperial 
Government. 

The  old  man  besought  the  missionaries  to  delay 
their  departure  for  another  day  and  intervene 
with  the  District  Magistrate  in  behalf  of  his  sons. 
The  plea  could  not  be  refused.  The  matter  was 
explained  to  Betty.  It  was  decided  that  the  mis 
sionaries  should  leave  the  boat  at  daybreak  and 
return  before  the  sun  was  three  hours  high. 

Betty  was  sleeping  when  they  left.  Her  English- 
speaking  amah  was  not.  She  watched  the  mis 
sionaries  till  they  passed  from  sight.  Then  she 
sought  the  captain  and  informed  him  that  her 

9 


io  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

young  mistress  commanded  him  to  proceed  imme 
diately  on  their  journey.  The  woman  had  her 
own  reasons  for  wishing  to  avoid  further  delay. 
A  fair  breeze  was  blowing;  the  sails  were  set  and 
the  house-boat  made  good  speed. 

When  Betty  wakened  from  her  slumbers  late 
that  morning,  the  boat  was  well  on  its  way  up  the 
river.  The  amah  did  not  wait  for  Betty  to  dis 
cover  the  absence  of  the  missionaries,  but  told  her, 
smiling  blandly,  that  they  had  sent  word  they 
would  be  unable  to  accompany  her  to  Peking  as 
their  presence,  for  the  next  five  days,  was  neces 
sary  at  the  trial  of  their  converts.  And  Betty, 
believing  her,  was  as  gay  and  trustful  as  if  her 
father  were  waiting  for  her  around  the  next  bend 
of  the  river.  The  wind  sank  as  the  day  advanced 
and  the  crew  took  to  the  great  oars.  They  chanted 
the  familiar  refrain: 

"  Ay-ly-chy-ly 
A-ha-a-ah." 

Frequently  the  refrain  was  echoed  from  passing 
junks  plying  up  and  down  the  river.  The  Pei-ho 
represented  the  great  highway  connecting  Tien 
tsin  with  the  capital,  for  the  Peking  railroad  was 
as  yet  only  a  tentative  suggestion. 

While  Betty  watched  her  crew  dextrously  row 
ing  with  long  clumsy  oars,  she  suddenly  became 
aware  of  a  Chinese  man  and  woman  on  the  near 
bank.  They  were  standing  beside  a  cart.  The 
man  was  waving  his  arms  towards  the  boat  and 


Tricked  11 

shouting.  The  amah  emerged  quickly  from  the 
cabin  and  with  a  little  squeal,  meant  to  convey 
surprise,  toddled  to  the  railing.  She  also  shouted 
something  in  shrill  falsetto.  Then  she  turned  a 
long  face  to  her  young  mistress.  "Belongy  two 
piecee  cousin — hab  ride  chop-chop  tellee  me  some- 
ting  plenty  bad.  More  better  my  talkee  boat- 
coolies  not  makee  boat  walk  for  likki  (a  little)  time, 
till  two  piecee  cousin  talkee  my"  (talk  with 
me). 

The  order  was  given  and  the  amah  hurried 
ashore.  In  a  few  minutes  she  returned  accom 
panied  by  the  young  woman  and  explained  volubly 
to  Betty  that  her  mother,  who  lived  in  the  neigh 
bourhood,  was  sick  unto  death  and  had  sent  for 
her  and  that  her  cousin,  who  was  an  excellent  maid, 
had  volunteered  to  travel  to  Peking  in  her  place. 
Betty's  protests  were  unavailing.  The  woman  de 
clared  she  must  go  to  her  mother.  The  new  amah 
stepped  forward  and  waited  silently  with  downcast 
eyes.  She  was  a  girl  of  Betty's  own  age,  very 
handsome  and  with  a  certain  indefinable  air  which 
somehow  did  not  accord  with  her  humble  attire 
or  attitude.  Betty  had  never  seen  a  Chinese  girl 
like  this  before;  she  felt  attracted  towards  her 
and  was  relieved  that  this  was  so,  for  it  was  ap 
parent  that  she  had  no  choice  but  to  take  her. 
The  matter  being  settled,  the  house-boat  again 
sailed  up  the  river.  But  Betty  returned  to  the 
cabin  and  with  crinkled  brow  stared  out  of  the 
window.  Was  the  amah's  sudden  departure  a 


12  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

trick?  Had  she  deliberately  planned  to  leave  her 
in  this  manner?  If  so,  what  had  been  her  object? 
She  turned  abruptly,  determined  to  question  the 
cousin.  She  saw  her  swiftly  raise  the  maid's 
mattress,  lying  on  the  floor,  and  thrust  under  it 
a  small  bundle,  which  till  now  had  not  left  her 
hands.  The  amah  appeared  for  the  fraction  of  a 
moment  disconcerted.  But  Betty  was  too  intent 
on  her  own  thoughts  to  notice  her  confusion. 
She  plied  her  with  questions,  receiving  no  more 
satisfactory  reply  than  a  gentle  shake  of  the  head. 
The  new  amah  knew  no  English!  To  hide  her 
consternation  Betty  returned  to  the  deck  and 
resumed  her  contemplation  of  the  landscape. 
She  gazed  at  the  sordid  little  mud  villages  squat 
ting  on  the  muddy  banks  and  the  flat  plains 
stretching  off  interminably,  punctuated  with 
countless  graves.  She  shivered.  An  indefinable 
oppression  seized  her.  She  seemed  suddenly 
terribly  alone.  She  thought  the  furtive-eyed 
boatmen  were  looking  queerly  at  her.  With  a 
gasp  which  was  half  a  sob  she  realized  that  she 
was  frightened. 

It  may  be  the  amah  divined  something  of  her 
thoughts,  for  that  night  in  the  cabin  she  touched 
her  gently  on  the  arm  and  looked  at  her  with  an 
expression  so  kindly  and  reassuring,  Betty  felt 
her  confidence  return.  A  certain  sympathetic 
understanding  seemed  to  spring  up  between  them 
and  Betty  found  that  although  the  new  amah  was 
ignorant  of  every  duty  pertaining  to  a  maid,  her 


Tricked  13 

presence  was  a  pleasure  to  her.  The  amah  steadily 
refused  to  appear  on  deck,  but  in  the  cabin  she 
did  her  utmost  to  entertain  her  mistress.  Once 
she  sang  in  a  soft  hushed  voice : 

"A  tortoise  I  see  on  a  lotus  flower  resting, 
A  bird  mid  the  reeds  and  the  rushes  is  resting ; 
A  light   skiff   propelled   by  some   boatman's   fair 

daughter, 
Whose  song  dies  away  o'er  the  fast-flowing  water." 

Betty  could  not  understand  the  words  but  she 
liked  the  rippling  melody  of  the  song.  She  did 
not  know  that  this  strangely  attractive  maid  of 
hers  was  singing  a  lyric  written  by  the  poet  Li  Po 
of  the  eighth  century,  unknown  to  any  but  the 
cultured  few. 

On  the  third  day  the  aspect  of  the  country 
changed ;  there  were  wide  cultivated  fields  around 
thriving  hamlets  and  groves  of  handsome  trees 
sheltering  the  tombs  of  the  rich.  Finally  they 
reached  Tung-chow  where  canal-boats  were  sub 
stituted  for  the  commodious  river  house-boats. 
The  Grand  Canal  has  four  levels;  at  each  level 
the  traveller  has  to  change  boats,  mules,  and  driv 
ers.  Betty's  amah  now  developed  a  belated  but 
valuable  efficiency  and  this  in  spite  of  a  toothache 
from  which  she  appeared  to  be  suffering,  for  she 
had  swathed  her  face  in  bandages  so  large  her 
features  were  barely  discernible.  She  engaged 
the  boats  and  superintended  the  removal  of  Betty's 
baggage.  Her  own  small  bundle  she  held  carefully 


14  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

clutched  under  her  arm.  A  good-natured  coolie 
attempted  to  take  it.  She  turned  upon  him  with 
blazing  eyes  and  a  peremptory  command  to  be 
gone.  At  the  fourth  level  when  Betty  had  changed 
boats  for  the  last  stage  of  her  journey  and  was 
watching  the  men  transfer  the  baggage,  which  from 
this  point  was  carried  to  Peking  by  carts,  the 
amah  threw  a  furtive  glance  around,  then,  unob 
served,  swiftly  scooped  up  a  handful  of  dust  and 
dropped  it  in  her  handkerchief  which  she  carefully 
tied  and  slipped  into  her  bundle. 

It  was  an  hour  later  that  she  suddenly  touched 
Betty's  arm  and  in  a  low  tense  voice  exclaimed: 
"Peking!  Peking!"  Betty  looked.  Before  her 
loomed  a  dark  mass,  a  sombre  length  of  unbroken 
masonry.  Nothing  indicated  the  presence  of  a 
great  city  beyond.  No  domes,  or  minarets,  no 
monuments  or  towers  rose  above  the  imprisoning 
wall,  its  gloomy  aspect  heightened  by  tall  battle 
ments  guarding  every  gateway. 

A  wide  stretch  of  desolate,  sandy  road  followed 
the  length  of  the  wall. 

Near  the  entrance  of  the  great  gates  alone  were 
tokens  of  th.e  busy  life  of  the  hidden  city;  clumsy, 
blue-topped  carts  rumbled  in  and  out;  men  with 
empty  baskets  slung  on  poles  across  their  shoul 
ders  stepped  briskly  along,  deftly  dodging  the  hoofs 
of  galloping  ponies,  whose  riders  proclaimed 
themselves  Mongols  by  their  high  fur  caps  and 
reckless  but  magnificent  horsemanship 

As  the  boat  neared  the  city,  Betty,  with  an 


Tricked  15 

expectant  smile,  watched  for  the  sight  of  a  familiar 
figure,  but  the  amah  disappeared  in  the  little  cabin. 
When  the  boat  was  tied  to  the  bank,  Betty  ran 
ashore. 

She  watched  eagerly  the  approach  of  a  sedan- 
chair,  carried  by  two  panting  men;  she  thought 
she  recognized  the  outline  of  her  father's  tall,  slim 
figure  behind  the  silk  curtains ;  the  bearers  hurried 
past  and  a  yellow-visaged  Chinese  peered  out. 
Only  then  the  thought  flashed  through  her  that 
the  telegram  might  have  been  missent  and  that 
her  father  might  not  know  of  her  arrival.  Her 
daintiness  shrank  as  she  realized  the  necessity  of 
riding  in  one  of  the  dirty,  shabby  carts  standing 
near.  She  eyed  the  garlic-reeking  drivers  with 
extreme  disgust.  "No  doubt  they  are  smallpoxy 
too,"  she  shuddered,  then  turned  to  tell  her  amah, 
in  the  pantomime  language  they  had  come  to  know 
so  well,  to  engage  the  services  of  the  cleanest  one. 
She  was  not  in  sight.  Betty  went  hurriedly  on 
board  the  boat  again  and  looked  in  the  cabin.  It 
was  empty.  The  coolies,  squatting  on  the  deck 
smoking,  stared  at  her  curiously.  Betty  suddenly 
felt  a  disinclination  to  linger  there  a  moment 
longer  and  hastened  ashore.  A  beggar-woman, 
with  dust-covered,  dishevelled  hair  and  horrid 
rags,  was  hobbling  off  towards  the  gates.  The 
minutes  passed  and  still  the  amah  did  not  come. 
Betty  watched  some  boys  on  the  opposite  bank 
playing  a  curious  game  of  shuttlecock  with  their 
feet.  A  child  ran  past  her  flying  a  kite  made  of  a 


1 6  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

live  cricket  fastened  to  the  end  of  a  string.  The 
struggling  little  insect  flopped  against  her  cheek  in 
its  enforced  flight.  Betty  started,  and  once  more 
resumed  her  eager  watch. 

As  the  minutes  lengthened  to  a  quarter  of  an 
hour,  then  half  an  hour,  and  still  no  amah  came, 
her  confidence  forsook  her.  Worn  as  she  was  with 
the  travels  of  the  day,  and  afflicted  now  with  a 
sense  of  isolation,  she  had  a  struggle  to  keep  back 
the  tears.  Unable  to  direct  the  cart-man  as  to 
her  destination — even  had  she  the  courage  to 
trust  herself  to  him — she  stood  motionless,  a 
sickening  sense  of  impotence  upon  her.  The  day 
was  declining.  The  whole  western  horizon  was 
throwing  forth  flames  of  light,  staining  the  white 
radiance  of  the  clouds  with  crimson,  gold,  and 
purple. 

Suddenly  she  became  aware  of  an  increased 
commotion  near  the  gates.  Everyone  was  hasten 
ing  towards  the  city ;  even  the  child  with  the  living 
kite,  who  had  returned  to  stare  at  her,  dropped  his 
cricket  and  rushed  away  with  all  the  speed  of  his 
little  yellow  legs.  Then  she  remembered  that  the 
great  gates  of  the  Chinese  capital  were  closed  soon 
after  sundown.  She  was  dimly  conscious  that  she 
too  must  hasten  toward,s  the  city,  if  she  did  not 
wish  to  pass  the  night  beyond  the  outer  walls  of 
Peking.  Already  the  stream  of  ingoing  carts  and 
men  had  ceased.  She  ran  swiftly  down  the  sandy 
road  and  slipped  through  the  ponderous  doors  as 
they  closed  behind  her  with  an  ominous  clang. 


Tricked  17 

Pressing  closely  against  the  side  of  the  deep 
stone-paved  archway,  Betty  waited  in  the  semi- 
obscurity  of  the  place  to  regain  her  breath  and 
quiet  the  tumult  of  her  throbbing  thoughts.  The 
wide  thoroughfare  before  her  presented  a  curious 
scene  of  noise  and  confusion.  The  centre  of  the 
street,  raised  some  two  feet  above  the  sides,  was 
thronged  with  men;  they  were  trundling  wheel 
barrows  and  driving  carts;  they  were  astride  of 
tiny  donkeys,  or  swaying  on  the  backs  of  gaunt, 
meek-eyed  camels,  laden  with  coal  from  Tartary ; 
they  were  on  rugged  ponies  and  on  stately  mules, 
and  all  were  threading  their  way  through  the 
crowded  space  with  marvellous  dexterity.  On  the 
sides  of  the  street,  pedlars  were  bawling  out  their 
wares — barbers  were  plying  their  trade  or  twang 
ing  a  species  of  jew's-harp  to  attract  customers, — 
beggars  were  beating  their  clap  dishes  before 
gaudily  painted  shops,  where  goods  were  still 
exposed  for  sale.  There  was  laughing  and  wran 
gling  among  groups  of  idle  men  and  fighting  and 
snarling  among  mangy  dogs. 

Through  this  mixed  multitude  Betty  knew  she 
would  never  summon  courage  to  pass.  With  a 
beating  heart  she  left  her  hiding-place,  hoping 
to  find  on  the  right  or  left  of  the  archway  a  street 
less  crowded  than  this  broad  avenue.  She  had 
no  alternative  but  to  wander  forth  in  the  forlorn 
hope  of  stumbling  on  a  foreigner  who  would  con 
duct  her  in  safety  to  the  legation.  When  she 
stepped  from  under  the  protecting  arch,  a  ragged 


1 8  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

urchin,  yellow-faced  and  impish,  noticing  her 
frightened  looks  and  shrewdly  divining  her  lost 
condition,  shouted  with  delighted  malice,  "Quatsi, 
quatsi"  (foreign  devil,  foreign  devil),  and  by  his 
cries  attracted  other  boys,  who  surrounded  her, 
taking  up  the  derisive  yell.  Several  men,  drawn 
by  idle  curiosity,  joined  the  group.  They  were 
amazed  to  find  the  quatsi  not  a  man,  but  a  young 
woman,  alone  and  on  foot,  and  their  voices  soon 
swelled  the  shrill  chorus  of  jeers. 

Ere  long  a  large  crowd  gathered  about  her. 
There  was  loud  laughing  and  talking,  scoffing  and 
joking;  a  few  men,  boldly  insolent,  stooped  to 
peer  with  leering  eyes  into  her  white  face;  others, 
with  more  curiosity  than  intended  effrontery, 
examined  her  dress,  her  hat  and  gloves,  for  the 
clothing  of  a  feminine  quatsi  excited  their  interest 
in  proportion  to  the  rarity  of  the  opportunity 
afforded  them  for  inspecting  it. 

Betty,  pale  with  terror,  looked  wildly  around 
for  a  passing  Chinese  of  the  upper  class,  who,  seeing 
her  thus  harassed  by  the  rude  crowd,  would,  she 
thought,  protect  her.  Two  members  of  the  literati 
— their  classical  calling  indicated  by  large  round 
spectacles — were  driving  by  in  handsome  carts, 
their  mafoos,  or  outriders,  brandishing  whips  and 
shouting  "chichkuang  nina"  (Lend  me  your  eyes) 
as  they  cleared  the  road  before  them.  Betty's 
pleading  cry  challenged  the  attention  of  the  carts' 
occupants.  Their  aristocratic  serenity  was  not 
disturbed  by  troublesome  curiosity.  With  un- 


Tricked  19 

disguised  apathy — a  forcible  contrast  to  the  lively 
interest  displayed  by  the  rabble  about  her — they 
passed  on. 

Fatigue  and  fright  had  now  exhausted  Betty; 
she  sank  half  fainting  against  the  stone  facing  of 
the  archway.  In  this  dazed  state  she  failed  to 
notice  a  man,  tall,  with  a  suggestion  of  muscular 
strength,  push  his  way  through  the  crowd.  His 
deep  round  tones  in  expostulation  rang  out  above 
the  shrill  falsetto  of  the  other  voices.  A  shrink 
ing  backward  of  those  near  her  told  of  some  sudden 
change. 

She  saw  the  tall  Chinese  hastening  towards  her, 
stopping  only  once  to  plant  a  vigorous  blow  on  the 
dirty,  shaven  pate  of  a  yelling  priest  of  Buddha 
whose  frightened  squeals  as  he  ducked  to  avoid 
another  knock  vastly  amused  the  crowd.  Betty 
watched  the  man  approach  with  mingled  feelings 
of  fear  and  hope.  Would  he  be  friend  or  foe? 
But  when  she  heard  him  say  in  perfect  English: 
"Keep  close  behind  me  while  I  clear  the  road  of 
these  beggars;  I  have  a  cart  here,"  her  overwrought 
nerves  like  the  tension  of  a  too  tightly  drawn  violin 
string  gave  way  and  hot  tears  of  relief  and  weari 
ness  chased  each  other  down  her  cheeks.  He 
steered  her  safely  through  the  crowd  and  with 
muscular  arms  lifted  her  bodily  into  the  cart,  then 
springing  on  the  seat  across  the  shafts,  drove 
rapidly  from  the  avenue  into  one  of  the  numerous 
quiet  side  streets  of  the  city,  keeping  the  while 
an  alert  watch  to  the  rear.  Neither  he  nor  Betty 


2O  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

had  spoken.     Now  he  turned  to  her.     "You  are 
quite  safe  from  further  annoyance,  Miss  Danford." 

With  the  mention  of  her  name,  Betty  flashed 
a  quick  look  at  him,  then  gave  a  sob  of  unutter 
able  relief.  "Mr.  Follingsbee!  Oh!  I  am  so 
glad!  So  glad!  How  did  you  reach  Peking? 
I  didn't  think  to  find  you  here!" 

"You  didn't  find  me — I  found  you.  Priority 
of  discovery  entitles  me  to  question  you  first." 

Betty  smiled  through  her  tears  as  he  intended 
she  should. 

Then  he  asked  where  her  companions  were 
and  why  she  was  alone  and  on  foot  in  the  streets 
of  Peking.  As  Betty  related  the  concatenation  of 
circumstances  which  placed  her  at  the  mercy  of  a 
street  rabble  the  first  hour  of  her  arrival  in  the 
capital,  his  face  grew  hard  and  his  mouth  shut 
grimly.  When  she  concluded  her  story,  he  said: 
"  That  amah  of  yours  deserved  hanging.  She  lied 
about  the  message;  the  missionary — I  know  the 
type — would  not  have  sent  it.  She  also  lied  about 
her  mother — it  is  usually  the  grandmother's  fu 
neral  that  serves  the  purpose.  You  say  the  second 
amah  disappeared  after  you  arrived?" 

"Yes,  and  I  feel  so  worried  about  her.  What 
could  have  happened  to  her,  Mr.  Follingsbee?" 

"Nothing;  don't  waste  your  sympathies  on  her, 
Miss  Danford.  She  was  no  doubt  a  Pekingese 
woman  and  anxious  to  return  here.  You  fur 
nished  her  with  an  opportunity  of  so  doing 
free  of  expense;  she  is  now  probably  engaged  in 


Tricked  21 

explaining  her  tactics  to  an  admiring  home- 
circle." 

"The  wicked  little  heathen!"  exclaimed  the  girl 
wrathfully.  The  next  minute,  however,  she  shook 
her  head  and  said:  "No,  I  cannot  believe  she 
would  do  that.  She  was  so  sweet,  so  altogether 
lovely  to  look  upon,"  she  added  inconsequently. 

"Did  you  see  her  leave  the  boat?" 

"No,  and  there  was  not  a  woman  in  sight  while 
I  waited,  except  a  horrid,  dirty,  beggar-woman." 

Follingsbee  gave  a  violent  start.  For  a  moment 
he  did  not  speak,  then  he  asked  carelessly:  "The 
amah — the  one  who  disappeared  I  mean — knew 
English,  of  course?" 

His  face  indicated  nothing  of  the  tenseness  with 
which  he  waited  for  her  reply. 

"She  didn't  know  a  word  of  English.  We  used 
the  pantomime  language.  You  have  no  idea  how 
graceful  and  clever  she  was." 

"We're  going  into  another  rut.  Watch  out!" 
he  warned  as  the  cart  gave  a  violent  lurch  side 
ways,  then  righted  itself  with  a  jerk.  " Good!  you 
will  soon  learn  to  balance  yourself  in  these  fifteenth- 
century  vehicles.  You  said  the  beggar-woman 
was  young?" 

Betty  stared  in  perplexed  surprise.  "Beggar? 
What  beggar?" 

"The  one  you  saw  after  leaving  the  boat." 

"Oh!  that  woman,  I  don't  know  whether  she 
was  young  or  centuries  old.  I  wasn't  interested 
in  her,  I  was  too  miserable  myself." 


22  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

"Of  course,"  he  said  gently,  and  let  his  dark 
eyes  rest  a  moment  upon  her  pretty  face — it  had 
a  drawn,  tired  look  from  the  ordeal  she  had  been 
through.  "You  will  soon  be  home  now.  That 
gate  is  the  Ha-ta-man  it  leads  into  the  Tartar 
city  where  the  legations  are." 

"How  strange  it  all  seems!  Are  you  sure  you 
are  not  Kublai  Khan  and  this  isn't  the  thirteenth 
century,  and  I  really  am  Betty  Danford  of  Sipuaw, 
Illinois?" 

"I  can  satisfy  you  on  the  first  point;  the  second 
I  never  feel  quite  sure  of  myself;  the  third  I  am 
more  than  half  inclined  to  believe  is  a  dream.  I 
am  not  Kublai  Khan  and  to  prove  it  we  will  shake 
hands.  Kublai  Khan  never  did  that  you  know." 

He  gravely  extended  his  hand  and  Betty,  dim 
pling,  let  her  own  rest  a  fleeting  instant  within  it. 

"You  haven't  told  me  yet  how  you  got  to  Peking 
before  I  did,"  she  reminded  him. 

"An  hour  after  I  reached  Tientsin  with  your 
friends — who  by  the  way  were  just  in  time  to 
catch  the  Japan  steamer — I  received  news  which 
compelled  me  to  return  immediately  to  Peking.  I 
was  lucky  enough  to  fall  in  with  the  Customs  mail- 
carrier — a  Chinese  friend  of  mine — and  rode  with 
him.  The  mail  travels  overland  from  Tientsin. 
The  land  route,  though  it  is  much  worse  than  the 
river  route,  is  also  much  shorter." 

"Do  you  always  dress  like — a — like  that  in 
Peking?"  she  asked. 

"Not  always,"   he  said  smiling,   "and   never 


Tricked  23 

when  I  expect  to  meet  young  ladies  from  Sipuaw, 
Illinois." 

Mr.  Danford  was  both  amazed  and  delighted  to 
see  his  daughter.  As  he  had  supposed  her  in  the 
safe  custody  of  the  Days,  the  absence  of  specific 
news  of  their  arrival — the  telegram  reached  him 
the  following  day,  the  Chinese  operator  having 
missent  it — had  caused  him  no  uneasiness. 

Being  a  gentleman,  and  in  the  present  instance 
a  grateful  one,  he  thanked  Follingsbee  warmly, 
though  he  would  rather  have  thanked  any  other 
man  in  Peking  for  the  same  service  rendered. 

He  had  heard  rumours  of  his  young  compatriot's 
mode  of  life  which  he  did  not  like.  Follingsbee's 
Chinese  costume  did  not  help  to  make  him  forget 
these  rumours.  The  young  American  disappeared 
periodically  without  leaving  any  clue  to  his  where 
abouts.  It  was  known,  however,  that  he  lived 
among  the  lower-class  natives  and  as  one  of  them. 

When  a  man  persists  in  doing  a  thing  of  this 
kind  he  soon  finds  himself,  if  not  exactly  shunned 
by  his  acquaintances,  at  least  never  sought,  and 
in  the  end  the  result  is  apt  to  be  the  same,  namely, 
social  isolation.  To  this  fact  Follingsbee  was 
apparently  totally  indifferent,  for  he  continued  to 
disappear  whenever  he  so  desired  and  to  reappear 
with  perfect  composure  whenever  he  was  ready. 

When  Follingsbee  returned  to  his  room  that 
night,  he  drew  from  his  pocket  a  crumpled  letter, 
and  spread  it  out  on  the  table.  He  read  the  Chin 
ese  characters  twice  over,  and  replacing  the  letter 


24  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

in  his  pocket,  lighted  his  pipe.  He  smoked  in 
profound  meditation  for  half  an  hour.  Then  he 
knocked  the  ashes  from  his  pipe,  and  said  to  him 
self:  "Of  course  it  was  A-lu-te.  But  how  the 
deuce  am  I  to  find  her  among  all  the  beggars  of 
Peking." 


CHAPTER  III 

SOME   GOSSIP  AND  A  DINNER 

AT  the  Peking  Club,  the  young  men  of  the  lega 
tions  and  Customs  were  freely  discussing  the  arrival 
of  Miss  Betty  Danford  in  their  midst.  The  sub 
ject  was  not  a  new  one,  but  their  interest  in  it 
still  continued  fresh. 

"They  say,"  said  a  Fourth  Assistant  B.  in  the 
Customs,  "she  is  a  ripping  little  filly  and  steps 
beautifully  over  the  traces." 

"Wonder  if  those  tommy-rot  stories  about  her 
are  true?"  inquired  an  aspiring  young  diplomat. 

"When  will  this  interesting  young  creature 
appear?  Anyone  know?"  asked  a  Customs  man. 

"Tonight  at  Lady  Caton's  dinner  and  dance," 
drawled  a  sleepy-looking  young  Englishman. 
"Saw  her  Ladyship's  chit-book  yesterday!" 

"Then  I'll  take  my  first  view  of  her  when  she  is 
in  her  war  paint." 

"Like  a — what  do  you  call  it? — jolly  little 
squaw,"  added  a  youthful  Frenchman. 

1 '  Boy ! "  yelled  Captain  Bertram,  who,  ensconced 
in  a  corner,  had  been  glancing  over  the  latest 
London  Times,  already  a  month  old.  "Bring  me  a 

25 


26  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

whiskey  peg."  Then  turning  to  the  young  men: 
"The  eloquence  of  you  youngsters  makes  my 
throat  dry,"  he  said  throwing  down  the  paper. 
"I  will  mention  for  your  edification  that  I  have 
seen  Miss  Danford  and  that  she  is  a  young  girl 
of  breeding  and  refinement  and  won't  please  you, 
as  she  is  quite  without  any  of  your  own  amiable 
vulgarity." 

Whereupon  the  Captain  rose  leisurely  and 
strolled  from  the  room. 

He  was  the  First  Secretary  of  the  British  Lega 
tion. 

"Bully  for  old  Bertie!  He  always  fires  a  shot 
for  the  ladies  when  it's  needed,"  chuckled  the 
Fourth  Assistant  B. 

"  Going  to  the  Princess's  again  I'll  lay  a  guinea," 
said  the  sleepy-looking  Englishman,  more  anima 
tion  in  his  voice  than  before,  as  he  watched  Ber 
tram  pass  down  the  street. 

"Ah!  there's  that  man  Follingsbee  back  and  in 
civilized  garb,"  he  announced  disgustedly. 

"Ugh — hope  he  isn't  coming  in  here,"  said  the 
Fourth  Assistant  B.  "Who  put  him  up  anyway," 
he  inquired. 

"The  I.  G.  (Inspector  General),  my  boy.  He 
dotes  on  him;  says  there  isn't  a  dialect  in  all  China 
that  man  doesn't  know  or  can't  learn  to  speak 
like  a  native  inside  of  two  weeks." 

"Humph!  Just  the  same  I  wouldn't  care  to 
introduce  him  to  my  sister  if  she  were  out  here." 

"Quite  so.    A  decent  chap  doesn't  associate 


Some  Gossip  and  a  Dinner  27 

with  Chinamen — the  coolie  sort — in  the  way  he 
does." 

4 'Speaking  of  natives,  have  you  heard  that  the 
reformer  Fen-Sha  is  in  prison  in  Tientsin,  con 
demned  to  death  by  the  slicing  process?"  asked 
the  young  Frenchman. 

"Yes.  Beastly  country  this,  where  a  man  can 
be  hacked  to  pieces  by  order  of  the  court.  They 
say  Fen-Sha  is  a  fine  young  chap  too — a  genuine 
patriot  and  all  that." 

"He  was  educated  in  America,  wasn't  he?" 

"Believe  so." 

The  conversation  gradually  reverted  to  the 
absorbing  topic  of  Miss  Betty  Danford's  arrival. 
Young  ladies  were  scarce  in  Peking  and  the  advent 
of  a  pretty  girl  who  was  also  hostess  of  the  Ameri 
can  Legation  was  a  subject  of  unabating  interest. 

When  Betty  appeared  that  night  on  her  father's 
arm  in  Lady  Caton's  drawing-room,  the  Doyen  of 
the  Diplomatic  Corps  was  heard  to  declare  sol 
emnly  that  her  entry  took  his  breath  away.  As 
he  was  a  gallant  and  kindly  old  gentleman,  he 
repeated  the  remark  in  a  toast  which  he  offered 
to  Betty  and  which  was  drunk  with  enthusiasm  by 
the  young  men  and  with  politely  disguised  indiffer 
ence  by  the  ladies,  while  Betty  blushed  and  looked 
prettier  than  ever.  But  this  was  later  in  the 
evening. 

When  all  the  dinner-guests  had  arrived,  Lady 
Caton  led  the  way  into  the  great  dining-room. 

There  were  sixteen  people  at  the  table.     The 


28  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

conversation  was  principally  in  French.  There 
was  a  saucy  refinement  of  levity  tripping  from 
rosy  lips  and  gay  laughter.  Many  of  the  women 
were  pretty;  one  was  beautiful — the  wife  of  the 
Minister  from  Spain.  Her  statuesque  beauty 
was  heightened  by  a  gown  of  black  velvet,  from 
which  her  shoulders  rose  cool  and  white  like 
glistening  marble.  Her  husband,  many  years  her 
senior,  threw  proud  glances  of  approbation  at  her 
from  his  seat  across  the  table. 

"Our  Spanish  friend  grows  handsomer  every 
day,"  said  Princess  Pontioff  to  her  neighbour, 
4 'but  the  little  lady  of  the  American  Legation  has 
a  prettiness  I  like  better,"  and  the  fair  Russian 
let  her  violet  eyes  rest  in  frank  admiration  on 
Betty.  She  never  feared  to  draw  attention  to  a 
woman  better-looking  than  herself.  "I  have 
attractions  which  lie  deeper  than  my  skin,"  she 
had  declared  once  long  ago. 

From  the  other  end  of  the  table  came  the  French 
Minister's  rasping  voice:  "Vous  n'y  etes  pas.  II 
faut  done,  a  la  fin,  vous  le  dire.  Quand  je  trouve 
un  livre  assez  bete  pour  etre  bon  ou  assez  bon 
pour  etre  bete,  je  me  dis  tranquillement  voici  un 
livre  pour  ma  femme."  The  Minister  was  not 
married.  His  sally  provoked  a  laugh. 

"What  does  he  say?"  asked  Betty,  dimpling, 
but  anxious  to  learn  why  she  was  joining  in  the 
merriment.  Youth  and  happiness  ''echo  a  laugh 
as  instinctively  as  they  draw  breath.  "Not 
worth  repeating,  'pon  honour,"  said  Captain  Ber- 


Some  Gossip  and  a  Dinner  29 

tram.  "I  was  awfully  lucky  to  have  you  for  a 
neighbour,"  he  continued.  "It  is  my  fate  fre 
quently  to  take  Madame  Imati  in  to  dinner  and 
she  can't  speak  a  word  of  any  language  except 
Japanese.  She  is  an  awfully  good  sort,  but  not 
quite  the  companion  one  might  desire  for  a  dinner 
of  two  and  three  hours'  duration." 

"Goodness!"  exclaimed  Betty,  "do  you  mean 
to  tell  me  we  have  to  eat  as  long  as  that?" 

Bertram  laughed.  She  had  glanced  up  at  him 
as  she  spoke,  now  her  eyes  were  lowered  again  on 
her  plate. 

"You  have  the  prettiest  eyelashes  and  the 
sweetest  little  mouth  in  the  world,"  he  was  saying 
to  himself.  Aloud  he  said:  "Try  one  of  these 
pates,  you  will  find  them  very  good." 

Betty  did  not  answer.  She  had  suddenly  be 
come  conscious,  with  something  of  surprise  and 
pride,  of  the  facile  manner  in  which  her  recluse 
father  adapted  himself  to  frothy  conversation. 
She  had  not  learned  that  a  good-natured  contempt 
for  the  average  intellect  is  as  efficient  a  teacher 
in  the  art  of  self-possession  as  a  long  course  of 
social  training. 

"You  Americans  are  so  complex,"  Lady  Caton 
was  saying  to  him. 

"And  why  not?"  returned  the  Minister  smil 
ing.  "It  requires  the  joint  efforts  of  most  of  the 
nations  of  the  civilized  world  to  produce  one  of 


us." 


"I  shall  begin  a  study  of  this  American  complex 


30  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

character  as  exemplified  in  a  certain  Mr.  Follings- 
bee,"  cried  Princess  Pontioff  gaily.  "  Is  he  typical, 
Mr.  Danford?"  she  asked,  animated  by  a  pure 
spirit  of  mischief.  The  Prince  frowned  frankly. 
Lady  Caton  looked  embarrassed,  even  annoyed. 
She  shot  a  swift  glance  at  Mr.  Danford,  who  replied 
coldly:  "Not  in  the  least,  Princess."  "What  a 
pity,"  she  continued  with  perfect  composure,  "I 
like  him.  He  can  laugh  at  the  most  imperceptible 
wit,  tell  a  story  with  some  grace,  and  listen  to  a 
badly  told  one  with  still  more.  That  last  is  an 
accomplishment  usually  restricted  to  my  sex," 
she  added,  making  a  little  face. 

The  German  Charge  d' Affaires  informed  his 
neighbour  that  this  Mr.  Follingsbee  was  too  in 
timate  with  pig-tailed  natives  to  be  tolerated  in 
polite  society.  "What  is  he  doing  in  Peking?" 
inquired  the  neighbour,  who  was  a  newcomer. 

"Exactly!  What  is  he  doing  here!  He  says 
he  is  preparing  to  travel  into  Tibet.  I  for  one 
do  not  believe  him.  Does  a  man  prepare  for  that 
journey  by  frequenting  tea-houses  all  hours  of  the 
day  and  night,  hobnobbing  with  dirty  natives? 
I  ask  myself  why,  um  Gottes  willen,  does  a  white 
man  want  to  consort  with  Chinese  when  he  is 
neither  a  diplomat,  or  worse  yet,  a  missionary." 

After  dinner  more  guests  arrived.  The  drawing- 
room  soon  filled  with  people.  Magnificent  toilets, 
scintillating  diamonds,  made  a  profusion  of  splen 
dour,  toned  down  to  rich  softness  by  the  friendly 
light  of  wax  candles. 


Some  Gossip  and  a  Dinner  31 

In  the  ballroom  someone  was  playing  the 
piano.  It  was  only  when  the  Inspector-General 
entertained  that  diplomatic  society  in  Peking 
danced  to  the  music  of  a  band  trained  by  a  musi 
cian  in  the  employ  of  the  great  man. 

The  men  outnumbered  the  women.  They 
resembled  black  beetles  circling  about  shimmering 
butterflies.  Lady  Caton  moved  among  her  guests 
with  a  hostess's  smile  and  a  gracious  word  for 
everyone.  Betty  was  surrounded  by  half  a  dozen 
young  men,  each  striving  for  a  dance.  It  was 
Captain  Bertram  who  claimed  her  for  the  first 
waltz.  Princess  PontiofI  raised  her  eyebrows 
and  smiled  as  she  watched  them  for  an  instant. 

"I  wonder,"  she  said  to  the  German  Charge 
d' Affaires,  "I  wonder  if  our  little  friend  over  there 
will  marry  you  or  Captain  Bertram.  Of  course, 
she  will  marry  one  of  you — you  are  the  only  really 
eligible  young  men  in  Peking." 

"It  is  of  the  charming  American  young  lady 
you  are  speaking,  yes?"  returned  the  German, 
and  raising  his  hands  deprecatingly,  added:  "It 
is  my  misfortune  that  I  am  not  eligible  for  the 
honour.  I  am  subject  to  fits.  I  have  been  incar 
cerated  in  an  insane  asylum,  I  have  been  hanged 
for  murder,  I  am " 

"An  incorrigible,"  laughed  the  Princess.  "Well 
then,  since  you  withdraw  from  the  arena " 

"Never  having  entered,"  he  reminded  her. 

"Captain  Bertram,"  she  concluded  her  sentence, 
"will  be  without  a  rival." 


32  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

"Like  the  great  Pompey,"  he  said,  twirling 
his  flaxen  mustache. 

"Why?"  enquired  the  Princess. 

"A  lover  of  himself  without  a  rival,"  replied 
the  German  suavely. 

The  two  young  diplomats  disliked  each  other 
cordially  and  politely.  This  was  due,  among 
other  reasons,  to  their  widely  different  conception 
of  humour.  It  is  impossible  to  be  friends  with  a 
man  with  whom  you  cannot  laugh. 

"Will  you  not  dance  now?  It  is  my  favourite 
waltz,"  he  murmured. 

"Really?  It  is  not  mine,"  remarked  the  Prin 
cess  coolly.  Then  she  glided  off  with  him. 

Lady  Caton  spun  daintily  around  in  the  arms 
of  the  French  Minister.  She  was  holding  up  the 
train  of  her  gown,  displaying  two  small  satin-clad 
feet  chasing  each  other  over  the  floor.  His  Rever 
ence,  the  resident  Bishop,  in  Apostolic  knicker 
bockers,  watched  the  race  with  a  smile. 

Mr.  Danford  retreated  to  the  smoking-room 
where  he  was  joined  by  Sir  Arthur  Caton  and  the 
Spanish  Minister.  The  ball  continued  till  far 
into  the  night. 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE  BEGGAR  WOMAN 

BETTY  had  been  in  Peking  a  week.  During  that 
time  she  had  danced  every  night.  She  had  gone 
to  garden  parties  and  had  picnicked  in  pictur 
esque  Buddhist  temples  beyond  the  city.  It  may 
almost  be  said  that  foreign  society  in  Peking  feted 
the  presiding  lady  of  the  American  Legation 
every  hour  of  the  day  and  most  hours  of  the  night. 
Betty  had  never  enjoyed  herself  so  continuously^ 
in  all  her  young  life.  She  had  seen  Follingsbee 
frequently,  but  only  for  a  few  moments  at  a  time. 
He  did  not  attend  the  dinners  or  the  dances,  to 
which  indeed  he  was  not  asked,  nor  did  he  join  in 
the  other  gaieties.  Betty  sometimes  found  her 
self  singularly  annoyed  at  this  without  knowing 
why. 

One  morning  after  a  ball  she  rose  early  in  spite 
of  the  fatigue  incident  to  long  hours  of  dancing 
and  prepared  for  a  ride.  When  she  stepped  into 
the  cool,  fresh  air,  the  garden  coolies  hastily  un 
wound  their  queues — coiled  for  convenience  round 
their  heads,  but  never  worn  so  in  the  presence  of 
a  superior — and  respectfully  saluted  her. 
3  33 


34  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

At  a  window  in  the  secretary's  house  a  small 
white  figure  appeared. 

It  was  Tommy,  the  five-year-old  son  of  the  first 
secretary. 

"Thay,  are  you  going  widing?"  he  called  to 
Betty. 

"Yes.  See,  here  comes  the  Mafoo  with  the 
ponies,"  she  answered. 

"If  you  wait  till  I  get  into  my  twouthers,  I'll 
come  too,"  he  proclaimed  grandly. 

"Not  this  morning,  Tommy,"  she  said,  and 
waving  her  riding  whip  to  the  disappointed  little 
fellow  she  passed  out  of  the  gates. 

Legation  Street  was  never  crowded,  but  this 
morning  it  was  deserted  except  for  a  beggar  crouch 
ing  close  to  the  wall.  Betty  threw  her  a  few  cop 
per  cash.  The  beggar  brushed  her  unkempt, 
matted  hair  from  her  face  with  a  quick,  sly  gesture 
and  gazed  after  the  American  girl.  Some  impulse 
moved  Betty  at  the  same  moment  to  look  back. 
The  beggar's  eyes  were  fastened  upon  her.  For 
the  fraction  of  a  second  the  two  stared  at  each 
other.  Then  the  woman  stooped  hurriedly, 
picked  up  the  coppers,  and  disappeared  down  a 
side  street. 

"It  is  extraordinary!"  murmured  Betty.  "Of 
whom  does  she  remind  me?" 

For  a  while  she  puzzled  over  this  strange  and 
illusive  resemblance  of  a  dirty  Pekingese  beggar  to 
someone  she  knew.  Then  she  forgot  the  incident 
as  she  entered  the  crowded,  evil- smelling  streets 


The  Beggar  Woman  35 

of  the  Chinese  city  to  reach  the  great  gates  in 
the  outer  wall. 

Once  outside  this  wall,  she  urged  her  pony  to  a 
quicker  pace,  the  mafoo  close  behind  her,  his 
long  queue  hanging,  a  straight,  immovable  line 
down  his  back. 

There  are  few  physical  pleasures  more  acute 
than  a  brisk  run  on  horseback  in  the  cool  of  a 
pleasant  day.  The  mind  lies  fallow,  every  mental 
phase  is  stilled  in  the  exultant  sense  of  pure  animal 
well-being.  On  a  green  slope  by  the  river,  Betty 
sprang  from  her  panting  pony  and  threw  herself 
upon  the  grass.  When  the  first  keen  pleasure  of 
her  ride  was  passed,  she  reflected,  with  the  girlish 
enthusiasm  of  eighteen  summers,  on  the  life  she 
was  to  lead  in  Peking.  It  would  be  a  steady  whirl 
of  gaieties.  Even  the  prospect  of  long,  tedious 
diplomatic  dinners  where  she,  as  the  Minister's 
daughter,  would  be  the  only  young  girl  present, 
became  bearable  because  of  the  dancing  which 
would  follow.  She  had  scored  what  a  budding 
debutante  considers  distinct  success;  her  dances 
were  divided  and  subdivided  and  her  partners 
many.  Betty  sighed  with  content.  Yet  she  was 
conscious  of  having  missed  Follingsbee.  He  had 
called  once.  She  had  received  him  with  frank 
cordiality,  her  father  with  courteous  but  pronounced 
formality.  Follingsbee  had  not  repeated  his 
visit. 

"Good-morning!" 

The  girl  started,  and  turning  saw  him  looking 


36  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

down  upon  her  from  his  horse.  He  was  not  in 
Chinese  costume.  He  swung  himself  from  the 
saddle  and  sank  on  the  ground  beside  her. 

The  mafoo  led  his  horse  a  short  distance  away 
where  Betty's  pony  and  his  own  were  contentedly 
grazing. 

41  If  I  were  you  I  wouldn't  ride  alone  around  here. 
You  must  remember  you  are  not  in  Sipuaw,  Illi 
nois,  but  in  Peking,  China." 

.  "Praise  be!"  said  Betty  blithely  and  added: 
"But  father  said  that  Foo-ling — he's  my  mafoo 
you  know — was  a  very  reliable  man.  He  has  been 
a  trusted  servant  in  the  Legation  for  years." 

"  Nevertheless  I  want  you  to  promise  me  not 
to  ride  alone  again,"  insisted  Follingsbee. 

"To  please  you,  never  again  while  there's  a 
man  left  in  Peking.  I'll  ride  with  a  gallant  escort 
of  three  tomorrow,  I  promise  you,"  she  rejoined, 
a  little  smile  of  girlish  triumph  puckering  the  cor 
ners  of  her  soft  lips.  Something  in  her  joyous 
loveliness  arrested  his  attention  and  moved  him  to 
say:  "Do  you  find  the  life  of  diplomatic  Peking 
very  entertaining?" 

Betty  beamed  happily  upon  him.  ' '  I  am  having 
the  most  wonderful  time!  Certainly  the  dinners 
are  not  very  amusing,  but  the  balls1 — they  are 
such  fun !  I  dance  and  dance  until  I  am  ready  to 
drop  and  then  I  dance  some  more.  And  the  next 
night — or  the  one  after — I  do  it  all  over  again!" 

"You  call  that  having  a  good  time?  Great 
Scott!  I  should  hate  it!"  ejaculated  Follingsbee. 


The  Beggar  Woman  37 

' '  Is  that  the  reason  you  don't  come  to  the  balls?  " 
she  asked  abruptly. 

"I  can't  say  that,"  he  said,  tossing  a  pebble  in 
the  sluggish  stream.  "You  see,  I  am  not  asked." 

"Why  are  you  not  asked?"  she  demanded. 
The  young  man  shrugged  his  shoulders:  "Perhaps 
they  don't  like  me,"  he  answered  carelessly. 

"That  is  absurd,"  declared  Betty  promptly. 

"Thank  you.  Nothing  half  so  nice  has  ever 
been  said  to  me,"  returned  Follingsbee  laughing. 

"I  don't  understand  it  at  all,"  she  continued 
with  a  puzzled  frown,  "but  I  shall  find  out.  It  is 
useless  asking  father,  he  won't  know,  but  Lady 
Caton  will." 

"Why  bother  your  pretty  head  about  so  unim 
portant  a  matter?  If  I  am  not  invited,  I  am  also 
spared  the  trouble  of  writing  regrets.  By  the 
way,  if  you  chance  to  hear  that  my  Chinese  asso 
ciates  are  too  low  class  to  be  reputable,  just  bear 
in  mind,  will  you,  that  I  am  in  Peking  for  a  special 
purpose  and  to  further  it  I  seek  information  and 
help  wherever  I  can  obtain  them.  I  have  even," 
he  added,  smiling  a  little  as  though  amused  at  some 
thought,  "not  scorned  to  ask  questions  of  beggars." 

"Beggars!"  exclaimed  Betty,  "what  can  they 
possibly  know  that  could  be  of  use  to  you?" 

"A  lot  of  things.  For  instance,  some  of  them 
have  travelled  to  Peking — the  Mecca  of  Chinese 
mendicants — from  distant  places  and  therefore 
are  acquainted  with  the  character  of  the  roads  over 
which  they  have  passed,  the  number  of  villages 


38  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

on  their  way,  and  so  forth.  If  they  happen  to 
have  come  from  the  south-west — in  the  direction  of 
Tibet,  you  understand,  where  I  hope  to  go — 

they "  He  stopped  abruptly.  He  seemed 

annoyed  with  himself,  an  acute  observer  might 
even  have  detected  a  certain  compunction  in  his 
expression, .  as  of  one  who  had  deliberately  told 
an  untruth  and  regretted  having  done  so.  Betty, 
however,  was  not  an  acute  observer;  moreover 
her  thoughts  had  reverted  to  the  beggar  she  had 
encountered  in  Legation  Street  that  morning, 
and  to  the  strange  resemblance  which  had  vaguely 
troubled  her. 

"Ah!    Now  I  know!"  she  cried  suddenly. 

"Know  what?"  asked  Follingsbee  quickly. 

"Of  whom  she  reminded  me." 

"May  I  ask  you  to  be  just  a  little  more  explicit?" 
he  said  with  a  look  of  relief.  He  stretched  himself 
lazily  on  the  ground,  his  hands  clasped  under  his 
head. 

"This  morning  when  I  left  the  Legation  I  saw  a 
beggar  woman  crouching  close  to  the  wall.  The 
mafoo  said  she  had  been  hanging  about  the  gates 
for  the  past  week  and  the  tingi1  had  repeatedly 
chased  her  away."  She  stopped  to  stare  at  Fol 
lingsbee.  He  had  pulled  himself  up  with  a  quick 
jerk. 

"What's  the  matter?"  she  asked. 

"Nothing — go  on,"  he  replied. 

"I  gave  her  a  few  cash  as  I  passed.     Kor  some 

1  Gate-keeper. 


The  Beggar  Woman  39 

reason  I  turned  and  looked  back  at  her.  She 
had  brushed  her  long  straggling  hair  from  her 
face  and  was  gazing  after  me.  Something  about 
her  eyes  seemed  curiously  familiar.  This  bothered 
me,  for  it  was  quite  impossible  that  I  should  know 
anyone  who  even  remotely  resembled  that  poor 
wretched  creature.  But  now  I  understand — she 
had  eyes  like  my  lovely  amah — the  one  you  know 
who  disappeared  so  strangely  the  evening  of  my 
arrival  in  Peking.  Do  you  think,  Mr.  Follingsbee," 
she  asked  anxiously,  "she  could  possibly  be " 

"Queer  ducks,  these  Chinese,"  Follingsbee 
interrupted  her.  "They  all  look  alike  till  you 
get  to  know  them  well." 

He  drew  his  watch  out,  glanced  at  it  and  ex 
claimed:  "I  almost  forgot  an  important  engage 
ment  due  in  half  an  hour.  Mafoo!  Miss  Danford's 
pony!" 

Before  she  realized  it,  Betty  was  mounted  and 
riding  toward  Peking  in  hot  haste,  Follingsbee' s 
horse  setting  the  pace.  When  they  passed  through 
the  gates  of  the  Chinese  city  and  slowed  their 
animals  to  a  quiet  trot,  Betty  turned  gaily  to  her 
companion.  "That  was  a  splendid  run!  But  it 
just  occurs  to  me  that  you  brought  me  back  almost 
by  main  force  and  without  so  much  as  a  'by  your 
leave,  fair  lady.'  Wasn't  it  a  very  high-handed 
proceeding,  Mr.  Follingsbee?"  He  was  staring 
to  the  right  and  left  with  a  quick,  keen  look  in  his 
eyes.  He  scarcely  heard  Betty's  speech  and 
answered  it  not  at  all. 


4O  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

She  bit  her  lips;  she  felt  chagrined.  His  pre 
occupied  air,  his  indifference  contrasted  markedly 
with  the  attention  bestowed  upon  her  by  the 
young  men  of  the  legations.  She  determined 
not  to  speak  again  during  the  remainder  of  their 
ride. 

In  silence  they  traversed  the  crowded  Chinese 
city  and  in  silence  entered  the  Tartar  city.  Fol- 
lingsbee  appeared  indeed  to  be  unconscious  of  the 
presence  of  his  companion.  Presently  they  reached 
Legation  Street.  In  an  alley  close  to  the  Russian 
Legation,  and  from  where  the  gates  of  the  Ameri 
can  Legation  could  be  seen,  squatted  a  beggar,  her 
clap-bowl  beside  her.  When  Betty  saw  her  she 
broke  her  self-imposed  silence.  "There  she  is 
again!"  she  cried  impulsively  and  turned  toward 
the  alley.  Follingsbee's  abstraction  suddenly 
vanished.  He  seized  Betty's  bridle.  "  Don't  go 
near  her — she  has  smallpox!"  he  said  sharply. 
His  peremptory  manner  following  his  former  com 
plete  indifference  to  her  presence,  irritated  the 
girl  to  the  point  of  anger. 

"Let  go  my  bridle,  Mr.  Follingsbee. " 
"Not  if  you  intend  to  approach  that  woman. 
She  has  smallpox,"  he  reiterated. 

"She  didn't  have  it  two  hours  ago;  it  is  not 
likely  she  has  it  now,"  retorted  Betty  with  frank 
incredulity. 

"It  is  not  the  same  beggar — • — " 

"I  will  find  that  out  for  myself,  then." 

"You  will  do  nothing  of  the  kind,"  said  Pollings- 


The  Beggar  Woman  41 

bee,  firmly.  "I  can't  permit  you  to  expose  your 
self  to  smallpox  merely  to  satisfy  your  curiosity." 

Betty's  cheeks  burned;  her  eyes  flashed  with 
the  intensity  of  her  exasperated  feelings.  She 
looked  at  the  hand  holding  her  bridle.  Then 
almost  involuntarily  she  half  raised  her  riding-crop. 

Follingsbee  saw  the  motion.  "Don't  be  silly, 
and  don't  make  a  scene  before  the  mafoo,"  he 
said  in  a  low  voice.  "You  are  behaving  like  a 
spoilt  child.  You  ought  to  be  ashamed!" 

Betty  stiffened  in  her  saddle.  She  seemed  sud 
denly  to  have  grown  older. 

"If  you  will  remove  your  hand  from  my  bridle, 
Mr.  Follingsbee,  I  promise  to  go  home.  You 
saved  me  from  a  Chinese  mob  once — in  return  I 
concede .  your  present  wishes  and  accept  your 
insults.  We  are  quits  I  think." 

With  that  she  rode  rapidly  toward  the  American 
Legation.  Follingsbee  experienced  a  new  sensa 
tion  which  he  only  half  understood.  He  watched 
her  slender  figure — the  well  poised  head,  the  dainty 
boot  just  visible  beneath  the  folds  of  her  riding 
habit — disappear  through  the  Legation  gates. 

Then  he  turned  and  entered  the  alley.  At  the 
same  time  from  the  opposite  end  of  the  alley  ap 
peared  a  half-score  of  Chinese  soldiers,  loud-blus 
tering  Bannermen.  Follingsbee  spurred  his  horse 
toward  the  beggar  and  leaning  quickly  from  his 
saddle  said  in  a  low  voice:  "Hong-Kong." 

"Tientsin,"  she  whispered. 

At  last  the  answer!     He  had  sought  it  vainly 


42  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

among  fifty  or  more  wretched  women  mendicants 
during  the  past  week. 

The  soldiers  marching  two  by  two  drew  nearer. 
Follingsbee  spoke  again  hurriedly  and  threw  some 
cash  at  her  feet.  In  drawing  the  money  from  his 
pocket,  his  handkerchief  fell  out.  The  beggar 
whined  her  thanks  in  shrill  tones,  picked  up  the 
coppers,  and  hastily  thrust  into  her  bosom  the 
purse  which  lay  concealed  in  the  cambric  folds. 
Then  she  hobbled  off  trying  to  avoid  the  soldiers, 
who  as  they  approached  flung  out  unsavoury  jests 
about  beggars  in  general  and  women  beggars  in 
particular. 

The  handkerchief  lay  where  it  had  fallen.  Fol 
lingsbee  appeared  suddenly  to  notice  it.  He 
wheeled  his  horse  about  so  the  animal  formed  not 
only  a  barrier  between  the  woman  and  the  soldiers 
but  effectually  obstructed  the  latter 's  advance  in 
the  narrow  alley.  He  leaned  with  slow  delibera 
tion  from  his  saddle,  picked  up  his  property,  and 
without  shaking  out  the  dust  and  the  dirt  thrust 
it  back  into  his  pocket. 

In  the  handkerchief  lay  a  crumpled  piece  of  paper. 

The  soldiers  muttered  curses  at  the  foreign 
devil's  impudence  in  blocking  their  path.  The 
young  man  affected  not  to  hear  or  understand. 

The  beggar  had  disappeared. 

Follingsbee  passed  the  American  Legation  with 
out  stopping.  He  rode  rapidly  to  his  own  quar 
ters  from  which  he  emerged  an  hour  later,  dressed 
like  a  cartman. 


CHAPTER  V 
\ 

A  TRANSFORMATION 

THE  beggar  woman  in  the  meanwhile  made  her 
way  speedily,  though  cautiously,  through  the  city 
streets,  choosing  by  preference  those  which  were 
deserted  or  with  but  few  wayfarers.  She  slipped 
past  lean  pariah  dogs  snarling  over  refuse  and 
hugged  the  walls  in  narrow  lanes  when  over-laden 
mules  went  by,  their  riders  with  bland  composure 
surmounting  the  burdens. 

To  escape  a  camel  with  paniers  protruding  like 
great  excrescences  from  its  sides,  she  turned  into 
an  adjoining  street,  wider  than  the  ones  she  had 
been  traversing.  Here  a  crowd  had  collected  to 
gape  up  at  a  woman  standing  on  the  flat  roof  of 
a  house  shrieking  imprecations  against  her  mother- 
in-law  and  taking  the  public  into  her  confidence 
by  recounting  the  miseries  and  abuse  she  had 
endured  since  she  entered  the  house. 

Unnoticed  the  beggar  passed  through  the  gaping 
crowd  and  emerged  into  the  great  market  of 
Peking,  the  largest  perhaps  in  the  world,  and  cer 
tainly  the  noisiest.  The  staccato  shrieks  of 
buyers  bargaining,  the  rumbling  of  carts,  the 

43 


44  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

squeaking  of  wheelbarrows  with  small  sails  set  to 
waft  the  curious  lander  aft  along,  the  squealing 
of  pigs  being  slaughtered,  the  dramatic  shouts  of 
professional  story-tellers,  all  mingled  together 
like  the  roar  of  waves  in  a  stormy  sea. 

One  side  of  the  market  was  given  over  to  the 
sellers  of  bamboo  shoots  and  vegetables  and  of 
live  fish  in  tubs  of  water.  On  the  opposite  side, 
were  the  meat  and  game  stalls  where  fresh  venison 
and  beautiful  long-tailed  pheasants  were  displayed. 
Here  also  were  the  famous  Peking  ducks  and  the 
luscious  fruits  of  North  China,  grapes,  pears,  and 
persimmons.  Tables  of  fortune-tellers  were  set 
up  everywhere  and  booths  of  geomancers.  En 
terprising  chemists  had  erected  shops  in  the  great 
market  for  the  sale  of  medicines:  pills  of  dried, 
red-spotted  lizard  skins,  fresh  tops  of  stag-horn, 
and  the  celebrated  Manchurian  ginseng,  resem 
bling,  with  its  colour  of  transparent  white  or  pale 
yellow,  pieces  of  stalactite,  yet  in  cost  beyond  the 
purchase  power  of  any  save  the  wealthy,  for  the 
ginseng  properties  were  thought  to  be  life-giving, 
and  rich  old  men  and  decrepit  roues  paid  willingly 
thousand  of  taels  for  a  pound  of  the  root. 

Not  far  from  the  chemist's  stalls  a  juggler  had 
collected  a  laughing  crowd  of  men  and  boys,  by 
coarse  jokes  and  clever  tricks.  As  the  beggar 
woman  passed  he  swallowed  a  bell  large  as  a  wal 
nut.  It  bulged  from  his  throat  and  rattled  down  in 
to  his  stomach.  The  fellow  danced  to  the  tinkling 
of  the  bell  which  could  be  plainly  heard  inside  him. 


A  Transformation  45 

The  woman  hurried  on  with  lowered  eyes  to 
hide  the  disdain  and  disgust  shining  in  them.  She 
passed  a  professional  letter  writer  taking  down 
the  platitudes  a  young  man  was  dictating  to  send 
to  his  father  in  a  distant  village.  The  young  man 
was  undisturbed  by  the  noise  in  the  market,  or 
by  the  presence  of  the  idly  curious  listening  to  his 
dictation,  or  by  those  who,  rollicking  past,  delayed 
an  instant  to  throw  out  mocking  suggestions  to  the 
scribe. 

"Tell  him  his  son  lay  drunk  all  night  with  saki." 

"Tell  him  he  pawned  his  mother's  amulet  for 
a  whiff  of  Fan-ling's  opium/* 

The  beggar  woman  hastened  through  the  mar 
ket,  traversed  street  after  street,  till  she  entered  a 
narrow  alley  and  stopped  before  the  door  of  a 
house.  In  high  nasal  tones  she  besought  alms  from 
the  charitable  ones  within. 

The  door  opened  on  a  crack. 

"Is  it  you,  my  flower?"  said  a  low  voice. 

"It  is  I, "  replied  the  beggar. 

The  house,  though  of  mean  aspect,  was  clean 
and  orderly  within.  The  old  woman  who  had 
opened  the  door  closed  it  cautiously  again  and 
seizing  the  beggar's  hands  peered  anxiously  into 
her  face. 

"Did  you  find  him?"  she  asked. 

"I  found  him,"  replied  the  beggar  wearily, 
sinking  on  the  K'ang. 

"And  the  money?"  continued  the  other  eagerly, 
"did  he  give  it  to  you?" 


46  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

"Yes,  it  is  here."  She  drew  the  well-filled 
purse  from  her  bosom. 

The  old  woman  emptied  the  contents  on  the 
K'ang,  and  began  to  count  the  money.  ' *  Taels  two 
hundred!"  she  exclaimed;  "for  a  foreign  devil  he 
did  well!" 

"You  know  I  do  not  wish  you  to  speak  in 
that  manner,"  said  the  beggar  in  an  imperious 
voice. 

"I  forgot  my  little  flower,  my  sweet  one. 
And  now  I  will  wash  the  brown  from  your  face, 
and  take  away  those  filthy  rags.  May  you  never 
again  be  forced  to  wear  them." 

She  brought  a  basin  of  water,  a  cake  of  soapf 
and  a  towel  and  began  her  task,  talking  all  the 
while. 

"Oh,  my  flower,  I  am  filled  with  foreboding. 
Did  I  not  hear  the  cock  crow  at  the  hour  of  the  ox? 
And  yesterday  I  tripped  against  the  oil  can,  up 
setting  it ;  and  my  left  eye  twitched  three  times 
at  the  hour  of  the  snake.  No  good  can  come  from 
such  things.  Misfortune  is  hovering  near.  I 
tremble  with  fear  for  you." 

She  washed  the  brown  stain  from  the  beggar's 
face,  while  she  wailed  forth  her  fears,  and  unwound 
the  cotton  rags  fastened  about  the  tender  feet. 
They  were  cracked  and  blistered.  She  brought 
soothing  lotions  and  carefully  bathed  them.  Then 
she  cleaned  and  combed  the  matted  hair,  and 
deftly  twisted  up  the  dark  long  strands  on  top  of 
the  shapely  head.  Finally  she  replaced  the 


A  Transformation  47 

wretched  rags  with  a  clean  blue  cotton  gown  and 
fastened  an  amulet  around  the  slender  throat. 

"It  is  Hsi,"  she  said,  "I  got  it  this  morning 
from  a  fung-shui  Sien-Sang"  (a  wind  and  water 
doctor).  She  stepped  back  and  surveyed  her 
work  with  satisfaction. 

"There,  my  honey-bird!  Who  would  take  you 
now  for  the  beggar-girl  who  just  entered  my  door? 
Repose  on  the  K'ang  while  I  make  tea." 

"In  truth  I  am  in  need  of  rest,"  said  the  erst 
while  beggar  with  a  sigh.  With  the  removal  of 
the  rags  and  the  stains  from  her  face,  she  showed 
herself  to  be  the  same  handsome  young  woman 
who  had  accompanied  Betty  Danford  to  Peking 
in  the  capacity  of  maid. 

The  old  woman  made  tea  over  the  brazier  and 
brought  the  fragrant  beverage  in  a  bowl  to  her 
young  mistress.  She  drank  gratefully  and  sinking 
back  on  the  K'ang  rested  her  head  on  the  wooden 
pillow. 

"Amah"  she  said,  "take  the  money  and  get  the 
clothes  you  ordered  to  be  ready  today.  Hurry, 
the  time  is  growing  short." 

The  woman  flung  herself  on  her  knees  beside 
the  K'ang  and  clasped  the  girl's  hands. 

"Oh,  my  honey-bird,  my  heart's  delight,  I 
tremble  for  you.  See,  I  am  an  old  woman,  bowed 
with  many  sorrows,  and  my  eyes  are  as  a  well  gone 
dry  from  overmuch  weeping.  Give  up  this  thing. 
It  is  a  wild  plan  and  can  lead  to  nought  but  your 
destruction.  Moreover  the  Lady  Yin  will  surely 


48  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

have  heard  from  her  sister  and  will  know  that  you 
are  not  her  niece  Wangti." 

"That  is  improbable,"  returned  A-lu-te;  "the 
cousin  of  Fen-Sha," — she  spoke  the  name  with 
lingering  tenderness — "has  just  come  from  Pao- 
chou.  He  knows  all  about  the  family.  The  girl 
Wangti  has  been  dead  two  years.  Her  mother 
and  the  Lady  Yin  have  not  been  on  speaking  terms 
these  five  years  or  more.  She  knows  nothing 
about  her  niece.  Have  no  fear." 

"But  later  when  you  leave  there  to  go  to — ; — " 

"Be  silent,"  said  A-lu-te  peremptorily. 

She  pushed  the  amah  gently  from  her.  "Do 
as  I  bid  you.  Time  flies  and  I  must  hurry,  or  I 
will  be  too  late." 

With  a  sigh  the  old  woman  rose,  took  the  purse 
and  left  the  house. 

A-lu-te  lay  without  moving,  her  eyes  staring 
up  at  the  ceiling. 

In  half  an  hour  the  amah  returned  carrying  a 
large  bundle  wrapped  in  dark  blue  cotton  cloth. 
She  untied  the  cloth  and  displayed  two  gowns, 
one  of  them  beautifully  embroidered,  also  shoes 
embroidered  in  the  same  pattern  and  handsome 
hair  ornaments  and  nail-shields. 

A-lu-te  examined  the  articles  critically.  She 
experienced  nothing  of  that  pleasure  instinctive 
to  a  young  girl  when  contemplating  pretty  new 
garments  which  are  hers  to  wear. 

"They  are  lovely,  are  they  not,  my  lotus 
flower?  See  this  silk,  how  firm  yet  soft!  the 


A  Transformation  49 

embroidery,  how  fine !  What  colour !  What  deli 
cate  design!  Ai,  ai,  but  you  will  look  beautiful 
in  these  garments." 

The  next  moment  she  broke  out  wailing  again, 
wringing  her  knotted  old  hands  in  despair.  "What 
good  are  such  things  to  you,  my  lotus-bud!  You 
were  safer  in  your  beggar's  rags  than  you  will  be 
decked  out  in  these  fine  clothes.  They  will  kill 
you,  my  bird,  they  will  kill  you!" 

A-lu-te  gave  no  heed  to  this  moaning. 

"What  money  have  you  left,  amah  ?  "  she  asked. 

The  woman  poured  the  silver  on  the  K'ang. 
A-lu-te  counted  the  pieces,  then  made  of  them  two 
piles,  one  of  which  she  gave  to  her  amah. 

"Take  this  and  buy  with  it  your  coffin.  At  the 
coffin  shop  of  Ta-Ping  outside  the  Chien  Men 
gate  is  an  excellent  one  of  fine  wood  and  once 
lacquered.  Get  it.  You  have  your  passing  away 
clothes.  Your  cock-crow  pillow  you  can  buy  with 
what  money  remains  after  you  have  paid  for  the 
coffin." 

The  old  woman  was  delighted;  she  poured  forth 
her  gratitude  and  for  the  nonce  forgot  to  wail  or 
prophesy  evil.  This  was  as  A-lu-te  wished.  She 
rose  now  from  the  K'ang,  slipped  off  the  simple 
cotton  gown  she  was  wearing,  and  with  the  amah's 
assistance  began  her  toilet.  Before  long  she  stood 
arrayed  as  a  Manchu  lady  of  high  quality,  even 
to  the  long  silver  nail  shields  on  the  third  and 
fourth  fingers  of  her  little  hands. 

"See  if  a  cart  is  waiting,"  she  commanded. 

4 


50  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

The  woman  opened  the  door  and  peered  out. 

In  the  alley,  a  short  distance  from  the  house, 
stood  a  mule-cart.  The  driver's  head  was  bobbing 
in  sleep  as  he  sat  on  the  shafts  of  the  clumsy  vehicle. 
Except  for  his  presence,  the  alley  was  deserted. 

"It  is  there,"  said  the  amah,  and  began  again 
to  sob.  A-lu-te  threw  her  arms  around  the  old 
woman's  neck.  "Courage,  amah!  See,  I  go 
forth  unafraid.  'As  the  winds  and  clouds  of 
heaven  are  ever  shifting,  so  the  misery  and  happi 
ness  of  men  change  from  morning  to  evening.* 
Because  I  am  unhappy  now  is  not  a  sign  that  I 
shall  not  be  joyful  before  another  moon." 

"Ai — perhaps — if  you  live  that  long,"  murmured 
the  woman.  A-lu-te  made  no  response.  Cau 
tiously,  swiftly,  she  slipped  from  the  house  and 
entered  the  cart. 

The  driver,  suddenly  wide-awake,  whipped  up 
his  mule  and  the  cart  rattled  off. 

Behind  the  gauze  curtains  A-lu-te  gave  direc 
tions  in  a  low  voice.  The  driver  nodded,  without 
replying. 

High  in  the  air  circled  white  doves — mid-sky 
houris,  the  Chinese  call  them — shedding,  as  they 
flew,  soft  aeolian  notes  from  the  whistles  fastened 
to  their  tail-feathers.  A-lu-te  loved  their  music; 
it  recalled  certain  happy  hours  spent  in  a  pleasant 
garden,  with  one  she  loved.  She  drew  aside  the 
curtains  to  look  up  at  the  doves.  A  shaven- 
headed  bonze,  collecting  bits  of  printed  paper  in 
the  street  lest  the  sacred  name  of  Buddha  be 


A  Transformation  51 

defiled,  saw  her.  He  gaped  at  the  lovely  face  so 
suddenly  exposed  to  him  and  made  a  coarse  re 
mark.  The  girl  dropped  the  curtain  hastily  and 
sank  back  on  the  floor  of  the  cart.  The  driver 
managed,  while  flicking  his  mule  with  his  long 
whip,  to  include  the  bald  pate  of  the  bonze.  The 
man  of  Buddha  screamed  out  imprecations.  The 
cart  rattled  on.  It  turned  into  a  crowded  thorough 
fare,  turned  again,  and  a  few  minutes  later  stopped 
before  a  gate  in  a  high  stone  wall. 

The  driver  sprang  from  his  seat  and  knocked 
vigorously  on  the  wooden  panels.  A  tingi  (gate 
keeper),  in  official  hat  and  dress,  opened  the  gate. 

A-lu-te  spoke  from  the  interior  of  the  cart: 

"I  am  the  niece  of  the  Lady  Yin.  The  driver 
is  a  mute.  Give  me  entrance  and  have  my  pre 
sence  announced. " 

The  tingi  flung  the  gate  wide. 

A-lu-te  stepped  from  the  cart  and  entered  the 
court.  The  driver  turned  his  mule  about  and 
disappeared  quickly  down  the  street. 

"Is  that  a  way  for  the  Lady  Yin's  niece  to 
present  herself!"  muttered  the  tingi,  amazed  at  so 
unceremonious  an  arrival.  He  sounded  a  gong. 
A  tall  eunuch  appeared.  To  him  A-lu-te  ad 
dressed  herself  in  the  same  imperious  manner: 

"Announce  to  the  Lady  Yin  that  her  niece, 
the  daughter  of  Lord  Cheng-shi,  has  arrived  and 
begs  to  be  admitted  to  her  presence." 

The  beauty  and  haughty  bearing  of  the  Manchu 
girl  impressed  the  eunuch.  He  bowed  low,  then 


52  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

presented  his  arm  to  assist  her  as  if  she  had  been 
a  bound-footed  woman.  He  escorted  her  into  a 
handsome  reception  room  where  he  left  her. 
A-lu-te  seated  herself  on  a  carved  teakwood  chair 
and  waited.  The  imperiousness  was  gone  from 
her  manner;  her  expression  was  anxious  to  the 
point  of  fear.  But  when  the  eunuch  reappeared, 
she  was  again  the  haughty  niece  of  Lady  Yin. 

A  few  minutes  later  A-lu-te  stood  in  the  presence 
of  the  wife  of  one  of  the  most  prominent  Manchu 
officials  in  the  capital.  She  advanced  into  the 
room  a  few  steps,  then  courtesied,  her  left  knee 
touching  the  floor. 

1 '  How  is  it  that  my  brother-in-law  did  not  notify 
me  of  your  approaching  arrival?"  demanded 
Lady  Yin  sharply. 

She  was  performing  her  toilet.  Servants  were 
removing  wash-basins,  soaps,  perfumes,  and  towels, 
while  others  were  arranging  her  hair. 

"My  aunt — "  began  A-lu-te. 

"Put  that  butterfly  more  to  the  left — so,  a 
little  higher,  as  if  it  were  about  to  alight." 

She  turned  again  to  A-lu-te.  "I  am  told  you 
arrived  unattended — in  a  cart.  Is  that  the  way 
my  brother-in-law  sends  his  daughter  travelling 
about  the  country?" 

"My  aunt,"  replied  A-lu-te,  "I  set  out  from 
Pao-chou  with  a  large  escort  and  bearing  letters 
to  you  and  my  Lord  Yin  from  my  father.  On  the 
road  we  were  attacked  by  robbers  and  though  the 
servants  fought  valiantly,  they  were  overpowered 


A  Transformation  53 

and  killed.  The  worthless  presents  my  father 
charged  me  to  present  with  his  respectful  saluta 
tions  were  stolen  and  the  contents  of  my  boxes 
rifled.  The  robbers  intended  holding  me  for 
ransom.  I  escaped  by  the  cunning  of  my  amah , 
who  quickly  changed  into  my  clothes  and  passed 
herself  off  for  me,  while  I,  under  cover  of  the  dark 
ness,  fled  and  through  the  kindness  of  a  carter 
made  my  way  to  Peking." 

All  listened  with  profound  interest  to  A-lu-te's 
narrative. 

"Aye,"  said  Lady  Yin,  "I  have  always  heard 
that  robbers  were  as  plentiful  as  watermelon  seeds 
on  that  road.  Why  did  my  sister  wish  you  to 
visit  me?  It  was  not  for  love  of  me,  that  is  cer 
tain,  for  it  has  been  six  years  now  since  she  has 
condescended  to  write  or  send  me  any  message. 
She  has  been  foolish  to  remain  angry  so  long  be 
cause  my  husband  has  superseded  hers  in  office. 
As  if  my  husband  were  accountable  that  his  talents 
are  superior  to  those  of  your  father,  and  have 
therefore  received  deserved  recognition  from  the 
Empress  Dowager!" 

"I  have  not  come  to  visit  you,  my  aunt,"  re 
turned  A-lu-te  quietly,  *'I  have  come  to  present 
myself  with  the  other  Manchu  maidens  for  inspec 
tion  at  the  Imperial  Household  Office." 

Lady  Yin  dropped  the  ornament  she  had  se 
lected  from  those  on  a  tray  a  servant  was  holding 
before  her.  She  looked  annoyed  as  well  as  sur 
prised  at  A-lu-te's  statement. 


54  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

"Why  that  is  in  two  days!  How  can  you  get 
ready?  Your  clothes  are  not  suitable.  You 
cannot  present  yourself  in  that  dress,  though  I 
confess  it  does  not  look  travel-stained. 

"My  father,  desiring  that  I  should  appear  as 
well-gowned  as  the  daughters  of  the  Manchu 
families  who  live  in  Peking,  ordered  a  dress  to  be 
made  ready  for  me  when  I  arrived.  I  called  for 
it  on  my  way  here  and  brought  it  with  me." 

"  It  is  well  that  you  bethought  yourself  of  that," 
remarked  Lady  Yin,  gratified  to  discover  that 
she  would  not  have  to  disburse  money  for  her 
niece's  clothes. 

"Is  your  name  on  the  list?"  she  asked. 

"Yes.  It  has  been  on  the  list  since  my  fifth 
year." 

"That  is  true— I  forgot.  I  will  see  to  it  that 
you  have  a  chair  and  sufficient  outriders  to  accom 
pany  you  to  the  Palace.  Glad  am  I  that  I  have 
borne  no  daughters  to  be  registered  in  the  govern 
ment  book.  I  am  sorry  for  you  if  you  are  selected ; 
life  in  the  Palace  under  the  Old  Buddha1  is  no 
sinecure.  Moreover  to  be  shut  up  behind  stone 
walls  for  the  rest  of  one's  years,  and  never  to  see 
one's  family  again,  to  be  little  more  than  a  slave, 
is  not  my  idea  of  happiness." 

Tears  came  to  A-lu-te's  eyes.  "Nor  mine," 
she  murmured.  The  girl's  sad  mien  moved  the 
heart  of  Lady  Yin.  "Ah  well,  don't  be  downcast, 
my  dear.  One  can  never  tell  what  may  happen. 

1  The  name  commonly  bestowed  upon  the  Empress  Dowager. 


A  Transformation  55 

You  are  pretty;  perhaps  the  Emperor  will  take  a 
fancy  to  you  and  then,  who  knows?  You  may 
bear  him  a  son." 

A-lu-te  clinched  her  little  hands  tightly,  but 
her  face  showed  nothing  of  the  black  despair  with 
which  this  suggestion  filled  her  heart. 

"I  hope,"  continued  Lady  Yin,  "that  if  you 
are  selected  to  be  a  '  Fei '  or  a  '  Pin '  "  (grades  of  the 
imperial  concubines)  "and  acquire  influence  at 
Court,  you  will  not  forget  that  I  have  received  you 
kindly  in  spite  of  my  sister's  undutiful  behaviour 
towards  me." 

"I  will  not  forget,"  said  A-lu-te,  in  a  low  voice. 

Through  the  paint  and  powder  which  covered 
her  lovely  face  she  had  a  worn  and  weary  look. 

"Sit  down,"  said  Lady  Yin.  " In  a  little  while 
we  will  eat.  Then  I  will  make  my  visits  and  you 
can  sleep.  You  look  tired." 

When  Lady  Yin's  toilet  was  completed,  she 
repaired  with  A-lu-te  to  the  large  dining-hall. 
Word  had  in  the  interim  been  sent  to  the  other 
women  of  Lord  Yin's  household  that  the  first 
Lady  Yin  was  ready  to  receive  their  morning 
greeting.  They  were  her  husband's  second  and 
third  wives  and  her  daughters-in-law.  After  they 
had  made  their  obeisance  before  her,  she  pre 
sented  A-lu-te  to  each  of  them  in  turn,  recounting, 
with  a  certain  pride,  the  adventures  the  girl  had 
had  upon  the  road,  her  fortunate  escape  from  the 
robbers,  and  the  reason  of  her  coming  to  Peking. 
A-lu-te  stood  beside  the  voluble  lady's  chair, 


56  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

passive  and  silent.  When  the  women  had  re 
turned  to  their  own  apartments,  she  was  invited 
to  eat.  After  the  meal  was  over,  servants  brought 
basins  of  water  and  towels,  boxes  of  paint  and 
brushes.  Lady  Yin  washed  her  hands,  touched  up 
the  rouge  on  her  lips  which  had  been  partially 
rubbed  off,  and  applied  more  powder  to  her  face. 
Then,  followed  by  a  long  procession  of  menials, 
carrying  her  toilet  articles,  her  pipe,  tobacco,  and 
additional  clothes,  she  passed  into  the  court  and 
entered  her  chair.  The  house  servants  took  their 
places  in  carts;  mafoos  mounted  their  ponies  and 
the  cortege  left  the  compound.  Lady  Yin  had 
gone  to  make  her  round  of  visits.  She  had  much 
to  tell  her  friends  concerning  the  arrival  of  her 
niece  and  the  adventures  she  had  encountered  on 
the  road  from  Pao-Chou  to  Peking.  In  the  bed 
room  assigned  to  her,  A-lu-te  sat  alone.  She 
was  weeping. 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE  BREATH  OF  THE  DRAGON 

PEKING  was  taking  its  after-tiffin  nap  when 
Follingsbee,  once  more  in  the  dress  of  his  country 
men,  entered  the  American  Legation. 

He  had  a  particular  reason  for  wishing  to  see 
Betty  again. 

The  Minister  was  in  his  own  rooms  where  he 
had  retired  for  his  siesta.  Betty  was  on  the 
bamboo-shaded  veranda  outside  the  drawing- 
room  windows.  She  held  a  book  in  her  hands, 
but  she  was  not  reading. 

Follingsbee  saw  her;  he  did  not  wait  to  be 
announced. 

"I  have  come  to  apologize.  I  was  abominably 
rude  this  morning.  Will  you  forgive  me  and  be 
friends  again?"  He  held  out  his  hand;  she  laid 
her  own  little  white  one  ever  so  lightly  in  his. 

"I  would  like  to  be  friends  again,"  she  replied 
simply.  Her  manner  was  entirely  gracious  and 
yet  Follingsbee  felt  a  subtle  change;  she  seemed 
indefinably  different. 

He  seated  himself  in  a  wicker  chair  beside  her. 
They  were  silent  for  awhile. 

57 


58  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

Betty  was  looking  toward  the  flower-garden, 
Follingsbee  was  looking  at  Betty. 

She  was  dressed  in  a  white  muslin  with  a  lace 
fichu  knotted  over  her  breast.  Her  slim  rounded 
arms  were  bare  to  the  elbows. 

"She  is  like  one  of  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds's  pic 
tures,"  he  thought  and  fell  to  admiring  the  picture 
in  detail,  the  sheen  of  the  brown  hair,  the  long 
lashes  curling  upward  at  the  ends. 

Finally  Betty  spoke,  her  eyes  still  fastened  on 
the  flower-garden : 

"The  mafoo  told  me  he  saw  the  beggar  quite 
distinctly;  he  said  she  did  not  have  smallpox." 

Follingsbee  came  out  of  his  reverie  with  an 
abruptness  which  resembled  a  jolt. 

For  a  moment  he  made  no  reply.  Slowly  Betty 
turned  her  eyes  upon  him,  gravely  questioning. 

"Did  she  have  smallpox,  Mr.  Follingsbee?" 
she  asked. 

A  confused  sound  that  seemed  to  be  a  yes, 
changing  into  a  no,  and  ending  in  a  cough,  expired 
in  his  throat. 

"I  beg  pardon!"  she  said  politely.  "What  did 
you  say?" 

"I  said  no,"  he  replied  with  sudden  decision. 

"You  thought  differently  at  the  time  then?" 

"I  thought  of  nothing  at  the  time  but  how  to 
prevent  you  from  apppr caching  her,"  he  returned, 
his  composure  quite  restored. 

Betty  sat  rigid  in  her  chair.  Her  voice  was  full 
of  scorn  when  she  spoke  again.  "You  prevari- 


The  Breath  of  the  Dragon  59 

cated  and  you  were  rude  to  me.  What  was  your 
reason?" 

"I  have  told  you — I  did  not  want  you  to  ap 
proach  the  woman." 

"Why?" 

"You  would  have  recognized  her — the  second 
time." 

Betty  leaned  forward;  her  voice  quivered  with 
excitement. 

"Mr.  Follingsbee,  that  beggar  was  my  lost  amah 
and  you  knew  it  all  the  time!" 

"Yes,  I  knew  it." 

' '  Yet  you  prevented  me  from  helping  her !  You 
forced  me  to  turn  my  back  upon  her,  to  leave  her 
crouched  in  the  dust  and  the  dirt  of  the  street, 
a  poor  miserable  girl,  starving,  perhaps  dying! 
Oh!  How  could  you!  How  could  you !" 

Her  eyes  filled  with  hot  tears.  She  brushed 
them  away  angrily. 

"But  I  will  find  her  again  in  spite  of  you.  I 
will  bring  her  to  the  Legation,  she  shall  be  my 
beautiful  amah  again!  I  will  send  the  mafoo  to 
search  every  street,  every  alley,  till  he  has  found 
her!" 

She  rose  to  summon  a  servant. 

Follingsbee  laid  a  detaining,  apologetic  hand 
upon  her  arm.  "Don't,  Miss  Danford!  Please 
don't.  It  was  because  of  the  mafoo's  presence 
that  I  kept  you  from  her.  He  would  have  been 
quick  to  learn  from  your  exclamations  that  this 
beggar,  who  had  been  haunting  the  neighbourhood 


60  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

of  the  Legation  for  the  past  week,  was  your  former 
amah.  He  would  have  told  the  other  servants; 
by  night  every  tea-house  in  Peking  would  be 
ringing  with  the  tale — it  would  be  the  main  topic 
of  discussion." 

"  Do  you  imagine  for  an  instant  that  I  care  what 
is  discussed  in  the  tea-houses  of  Peking?"  returned 
Betty  with  infinite  scorn. 

"The  gossip  might  have  worked  no  end  of  mis 
chief." 

"Really,  Mr.  Follingsbee,  your  solicitude  on 
my  account  is  quite  unnecessary  and — pardon  me 
for  saying  so — a  little  absurd." 

"You  misunderstand  me;  I  was  not  thinking  of 
you.  My  anxiety  was  for — the  other  young 


woman.' 


Betty  flushed;  her  surprise  was  obvious. 

She  had — she  confessed  it  to  herself — been  too 
engrossed  in  the  injury  she  conceived  done  to  her 
own  sensibilities  and  dignity,  to  reflect  that  the 
causes  of  her  amah's  terrible  plight  might  be  due 
to  something  more  than  mere  loss  of  money,  a 
sudden  plunge  into  dire  poverty.  Now  a  vague 
apprehension  of  some  great  danger  threatening 
the  girl  oppressed  her. 

"I  don't  understand  it,"  she  said  piteously. 
"  It  is  all  so  strange,  so  unaccountable.  What  does 
it  mean,  Mr.  Follingsbee?" 

"Miss  Danford,  I  am  going  to  ask  a  great  deal 
of  you.  I  am  going  to  ask  you  to  be  satisfied  with 
my  assurance  that  the  young  woman  is  receiving 


The  Breath  of  the  Dragon  61 

and  will  continue  to  receive  every  assistance  it  is 
in  my  power  to  render." 

' '  Do  you  mean  that  I  am  not  to  know  why  she 
is  a  beggar,  compelled  to  roam  the  streets  of 
Peking?  That  I  am  not  to  try  and  find  her?  Do 
you  mean  that  I  am  to  be  satisfied  with  the  know 
ledge  that  you  have  given  her  money  and  if  need 
be  are  willing  to  give  her  more?  Money!  thrown 
to  her  by  a  stranger,  a  man,  when  she  wanted  me, 
whom  she  knew  to  be  her  friend — her  woman's 
intuition  told  her  that,  or  she  would  not  have 
returned  again  and  again  to  the  Legation  waiting 
for  an  opportunity  of  meeting  me.  Oh  no!  I 
certainly  will  not,  cannot,  be  content  to  dismiss 
her  from  my  mind  in  that  manner.  You  credit 
me  with  too  much  selfishness,  too  heartless  an 
indifference,  when  you  ask  it  of  me.  She  is  a  girl, 
like  myself,  and  she  is  seeking  my  sympathy,  my 
help." 

Follingsbee  was  looking  on  the  ground;  his 
expression  was  grave  and  perplexed.  Finally  he 
said: 

"Would  it  content  you  to  know  that  she  was 
not  seeking  you,  that  she  neither  required  or 
wanted  your  help?" 

"Did  she  tell  you  so  this  morning?" 

"No — that  is  not  exactly." 

Betty's  eyes  snapped.  "I  am  going  to  send 
for  the  horses.  I  must  ask  you  to  excuse  me  as 
I  intend  to  look  for  her  myself  and  bring  her  back 
with  me." 


62  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

Again  Follingsbee  stopped  her.  "You  won't 
find  her,"  he  said.  "She  has  dropped  her  beggar's 
disguise." 

Betty's  hand  fell  from  the  bell-rope;  she  stared 
at  Follingsbee  blankly.  "Disguise!"  she  echoed. 
Suddenly  a  swift  spasm  of  surprise  swept  her  face. 
"Was  it — was  it  you  she  was  waiting  for?"  she 
faltered. 

"Yes." 

Slowly  the  red  blood  mounted  Betty's  cheeks 
and  suffused  her  face  to  the  roots  of  her  hair. 

"Miss  Danford,"  said  Follingsbee  abruptly, 
"if  I  have  endeavoured  to  keep  from  you  the 
knowledge  of  that  young  woman's  presence  in 
Peking,  it  was  because  you  are  powerless  to  render 
her  any  assistance  and  because  a  great  danger 
threatens  her  if  her  identity  is  discovered." 

"Oh!"  cried  Betty  impulsively.  "We  must 
tell  father.  He  will  see  some  high  official  in  the 
Yamen  and  ask  him  to  protect  her.  Quick,  Mr. 
Follingsbee,  let  us  go  to  father!" 

Her  pretty  face  was  aglow  with  sympathy  and 
excitement.  Follingsbee  shook  his  head  despond- 
ingly.  "No  use.  You  see  this  affair  has  a  po 
litical  side  which  makes  it  impossible  for  Mr. 
Danford  to  interfere.  If  he  went  to  the  Yamen 
he  would  accomplish  nothing  except  possibly  his 
own  recall.  For  his  own  sake  it  is  better  that  he 
knows  nothing  about  the  matter." 

Betty  came  close  to  him.  "Mr.  Follingsbee," 
she  said  earnestly,  "please  tell  me  what  it  is  all 


The  Breath  of  the  Dragon  63 

about.  I  am  only  a  girl  and  often  I  fear  a  very 
foolish  one,  but  a  time  may  come  when  even  I 
might  be  of  use  to  her." 

She  stood  before  him  with  the  pleading  softness 
in  her  eyes  few  had  ever  tried  to  resist.  But  he 
only  repeated  patiently,  "You  cannot  help  her." 

"Won't  you  let  me  try?"  She  laid  her  hand 
ever  so  lightly  on  his  arm.  "Please,"  she  said. 

He  glanced  down  on  the  little  fingers  barely 
touching  his  sleeve.  "If  I  tell  you,"  he  replied 
slowly,  as  if  arguing  to  himself,  "it  would  be 
equivalent  to  telling  Mr.  Danford,  and — well, 
something  might  turn  up  which  would  make  it 
desirable,  on  his  own  account,  that  he  have  no 
knowledge  of  this  matter." 

"But  I  promise  not  to  tell  him.  Can  you  not 
trust  me  to  keep  my  word?" 

"It  is  kind  and  good  of  you,  but " 

"You  won't  trust  me,"  said  Betty  stung  into 
quick  comprehension.  "She  would  have  trusted 
me,"  she  flashed  out  passionately.  "She  would 
want  me  to  know." 

The  faintest  of  smiles  quivered  an  instant  on 
Follingsbee's  face. 

Betty  saw  it. 

"You  may  laugh,"  she  flamed,  "but  just  the 
same  it  is  true."  She  spoke  convincingly,  and  to 
his  surprise  he  found  himself  believing. 

After  a  long  moment  during  which  he  appeared 
to  be  thinking  deeply  he  said:  "If  I  tell  you  will 
you  remember  you  promised?" 


64  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

"Yes,"  she  replied.  She  settled  herself  in  a 
chair  and  folding  her  hands  in  her  lap  prepared 
to  listen. 

"A-lu-te— "  he  began. 

"A-lu-te!  What  a  pretty  name!  Where  did 
you  first  meet  her?"  Her  curiosity  was  outstrip 
ping  her  patience. 

"This  morning." 

"This  morning!  But  how — "  She  saw  a 
glint  of  humour  in  Follingsbee's  eyes,  and  said 
quickly:  "I  won't  interrupt  again.  Truly. 
Please  go  on." 

"I  will  tell  you  the  story  from  the  beginning. 

"Among  my  classmates  at  college  was  a  young 
Chinese  chap,  round-faced,  good-natured,  and 
jolly.  He  was  an  excellent  student  and  a  general 
favourite.  His  name  was  Fen-Sha.  We  called 
him  Curly  for  no  reason  that  I  ever  discovered 
except  that  his  hair  was  as  straight  as  an  Indian's, 
or  as  a — Chinese.  He  was  an  ardent  patriot ;  to  a 
few  of  his  intimate  friends — I  was  among  the 
number — he  used  to  confide  his  ambition  to  or 
ganize  in  his  country  a  Reform  Party,  its  ob 
ject  being  to  replace  all  conservative  ministers 
and  viceroys,  adhering  to  their  century- old  tra 
ditions,  with  men  imbued  with  Western  ideas, 
who  would  be  prepared  to  urge  the  adoption 
of  reform  measures  and  change  China  from  her 
present  state  of  a  helpless  giant,  possessing 
neither  strength  or  power,  to  her  former  proud 
position,  that  of  a  wise  parent  of  the  Oriental 


The  Breath  of  the  Dragon  65 

family  of  nations,  the  leader  of  the  Yellow 
Race. 

"I  doubt  if  any  of  us  took  these  patriotic  out 
bursts  very  seriously.  They  occurred  but  seldom, 
and  if  we  thought  of  them  at  all,  it  was  to  regard 
them  as  the  chimerical  dreams  of  an  enthusiast. 
We  were  far  more  interested  in  Fen-Sha  the  man, 
than  in  Fen-Sha  the  would-be  reformer  of  Chinese 
customs  older  than  Christendom. 

"But  from  the  day  he  persuaded  me  to  let  him 
teach  me  Chinese  I  ceased  to  be  indifferent.  I 
have,  I  suppose,  a  facility  for  learning  languages. 
At  any  rate,  when  he  left  college,  I  could  speak 
Chinese  fairly  fluently.  It  is  a  fact  that  when  a 
man  acquires  a  new  language,  he  acquires  with  it 
a  keener  comprehension,  a  more  vivid  interest  in 
the  people  who  speak  that  language  which  no 
amount  of  reading  or  travelling  without  such 
knowledge  can  give  him. 

'  *  After  we  graduated  Fen-Sha  returned  to  China. 
For  a  time  his  friends  lost  track  of  him,  then  I 
began  to  hear  of  him  as  an  indefatigable  organizer 
of  Reform  Clubs  in  various  parts  of  the  country. 
He  travelled  up  and  down  the  Yellow  River, 
he  went  all  over  the  south  and  north  as  far  as 
the  Great  Wall.  His  name  became  a  household 
word  among  thousands  of  his  country  people. 
In  his  work  he  was  encouraged  and  assisted 
financially  by  Duke  Tsing,  who  not  only  shared 
his  progressive  views,  but  to  whose  generosity 
he  owed  his  college  education  in  America.  Fen- 


66  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

Sha  was  betrothed  to  the  adopted  daughter  of 
his  benefactor." 

"A-lu-te!"  murmured  Betty,  tense  with  excite 
ment. 

"Yes,  A-lu-te.  Three  days  before  their  mar 
riage  was  to  be  solemnized,  Fen-Sha  was  arrested 
near  Tientsin,  charged  with  conspiracy  against 
the  Imperial  Government.  He  was  thrown  into 
prison,  tried,  and  condemned  to  death.  In  two 
weeks  his  execution — slow  death  by  the  slicing 
process — will  take  place.  His  Reform  Clubs  are 
closed  by  the  authorities  and  the  members  threat 
ened  with  death  or  banishment  if  they  attempt  to 
reorganize.  Duke  Tsing  was  arrested,  but  be 
cause  of  his  high  official  position,  the  Empress 
Dowager  graciously  permitted  him  to  hang  him 
self.  His  family  were  banished  and  A-lu-te  was 
warned  that  if  she  put  foot  again  on  her  native  land, 
she  would  be  sold  as  a  slave  to  the  highest  bidder." 

Betty  listened  in  wide-eyed,  silent  horror  as 
this  terrible  narrative  was  unfolded.  Her  own 
happy  world  seemed  suddenly  to  have  given  way 
to  a  monstrous  universe  filled  with  awful  torment, 
with  injustice  that  left  the  heart  sick. 

"It  is  horrible,  horrible!"  she  cried,  her  voice 
breaking  into  a  sob.  "Oh,  why  did  she  return 
and  expose  herself  to  such  a  hideous  fate!" 

"To  save  Fen-Sha,  her  betrothed.  I  have  very 
little  hope  that  she  will  succeed.  Even  if  her 
identity  is  not  discovered  and  she  escapes  being 
sold  into  slavery,  her  plans  for  his  release  are  so 


The  Breath  of  the  Dragon  67 

hazardous,  it  is  well-nigh  impossible  that  she  can 
carry  them  to  a  successful  issue.  But  her  courage 
is  magnificent.'* 

"What  are  these  plans?  "  inquired  Betty,  holding 
her  breath  in  suspense. 

"Do  not  ask  me — I  have  told  all  I  can." 

Suddenly  a  fearsome  thought  came  to  Betty. 

"Do  they — the  plans — include  your  co-opera 
tion?" 

"To  a  certain  extent,"  he  replied  carelessly, 
and  added:  "That  is  one  of  the  reasons  I  do  not 
want  your  father  to  be  informed  concerning  this 
matter.  I  am  an  American — well  that  fact 
might  be  an  embarrassment  to  him." 

"Will  you  be  in  danger  at  any  time?" 

A  note  of  keen  anxiety  rang  in  her  fresh  young 
voice. 

"None  whatever,"  lied  Follingsbee  calmly. 

Quite  unconsciously  Betty  gave  a  sigh  of  relief. 
Then  she  said:  "Did  you  help  her  to  come  to 
Peking  as  my  amah  ?" 

"Good  Lord,  no!"  he  exclaimed,  horrified. 
"Do  not  think  it  for  a  moment.  The  plan  was 
arranged  and  carried  out  by  one  of  Fen-Sha's 
Chinese  friends  in  Tientsin.  I  was  not  told 
of  it  or  I  should  have  promptly  interfered.  If 
A-lu-te  had  been  discovered  on  board  your  boat 
I  hate  to  think  what  might  have  been  the  conse 
quences  to  you.  When  I  arrived  in  Tientsin  I 
received  a  letter  from  Fen-Sha's  friend  saying 
that  A-lu-te  would  be  in  the  capital  after  a  certain 


68  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

date  and  disguised  as  a  beggar.  He  said  she  would 
require  financial  aid  and  asked  me  to  obtain  it  for 
her.  As  he  knew  I  had  never  seen  the  young 
woman  and  would  not  be  able  to  recognize  her 
in  her  disguise  if  I  had,  he  told  me  how  to  identify 
her.  Every  day  for  a  week  I  have  been  roaming 
the  streets,  accosting  beggar-women,  in  the  hope 
of  finding  her.  It  was  the  irony  of  fate  that  when 
I  was  on  Legation  Street,  she  was  elsewhere.  It 
was  a  game  of  hide-and-seek  which  both  of  us 
were  doing  our  utmost  to  end  and  without  success 
until  I  met  you  this  morning  and  you  put  me  on 
her  track." 

4 '  How  glad  I  am  that  I  was  of  some  help  to  her 
after  all!"  cried  Betty.  "And  now,  Mr.  Follings- 
bee,  I  intend  to  give  you  all  the  money  I  have — 
it  is  not  much,"  she  added  ruefully,  "the  curio- 
dealers  took  most  of  it  an  hour  ago.  But  never 
mind,"  she  said  brightening,  "I'll  get  father  to 
buy  all  my  purchases  from  me." 

Follingsbee  laughed  outright.  * '  You're  a  young 
lady  of  infinite  resources.  You  must  keep  your 
money,  however.  A-lu-te  is  provided  with  funds 
— I  have  seen  to  that." 

"Father  shall  buy  my  curios  just  the  same. 
You  can't  be  sure  that  she  won't  require  more 
money  tomorrow,  or  the  day  after." 

Her  gaiety  vanished  again  with  the  recurrent 
thought  of  A-lu-te' s  danger.  "You  will  let  me 
help  in  every  way  I  can?"  she  asked,  raising  her 
blue  eyes  earnestly  to  Follingsbee. 


The  Breath  of  the  Dragon  69 

"In  every  way  you  can,"  he  repeated,  taking 
the  firm  little  hand  in  his.  "  And  now  I  must  be 
off.  You  are  sure  you  have  forgiven  me  for  my 
rudeness  this  morning?" 

"Quite  sure !     And  you ? ' * 

"Oh!  I  had  nothing  to  forgive." 

"But  I  was  rude  also/'  she  insisted. 

"No — you  were  adorable,"  he  said  quite  seri 
ously. 

As  Follingsbee  threaded  his  way  through  the 
crowded  Chinese  city  to  his  rooms,  he  thought  of 
a  remark  Betty  had  dropped  concerning  that 
particular  portion  of  Peking.  "It's  all  narrow 
little  streets,  and  big  mixed  smells,"  she  had  de 
clared  disgustedly.  He  laughed  as  he  recalled 
this  speech.  He  felt  singularly  elated. 

On  the  following  day  he  went  again  to  the  Lega 
tion,  and  on  the  next  and  again  the  next,  and 
always  after  tiffin  when  the  Minister  was  taking 
his  siesta.  Follingsbee  did  not  choose  this  hour 
for  the  purpose  of  avoiding  the  Minister,  but  be 
cause  he  was  assured  of  being,  at  that  time  of  day, 
Betty's  only  caller. 

He  told  her  much  about  his  friend  Fen-Sha,  of 
the  young  reformer's  work,  of  his  passionate  devo 
tion  to  his  country,  his  vehement  desire  to  help 
his  people,  his  faith  in  their  better  destiny,  and  his 
brave  and  single-handed  efforts  towards  this  end. 

"Not  single-handed.  You  helped — you  know 
you  did,"  declared  Betty  with  the  swift  intuition 
of  her  kind. 


70  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

"In  a  way — a  little  perhaps,"  he  admitted 
reluctantly. 

"Tell  me  about  it,"  commanded  Betty. 

"There  isn't  much  to  tell.  I  tried  to  follow 
him  up,  and  by  mixing  a  lot  with  the  people, 
particularly  the  lower  class,  and  gaining  their 
confidence,  managed  a  few  times  to  help  him 
escape  just  when  the  officials  were  about  to  seize 
him.  They  got  him  at  last  though,  poor  chap." 

But  Betty  was  not  satisfied  with  this  cursory 
account  of  the  part  he  took  in  aiding  Fen-Sha 
and  so  informed  him.  Whereupon  he  told  her, 
quite  simply,  experiences  any  one  of  which  repeated 
abroad  would  have  made  him  the  most  talked  of 
man  in  China,  experiences  which  every  young 
fellow  with  a  taste  for  adventure  would  have 
given  his  eyeteeth  to  have  lived  through  and 
which  would  have  excited  the  envy  and  admiration 
of  others  too  old  to  be  easily  stirred. 

Betty  listened  enthralled.  Once  he  stopped 
short  to  say:  "I  beg  pardon,  I  am  afraid  I  am 
boring  you."  And  she  insisted  quite  peremptorily 
that  he  continue. 

It  is  said  nothing  flatters  a  man  so  much  as 
when  a  pretty  girl  asks  him  to  talk  about  himself. 
It  is  the  sort  of  thing  that  works  both  ways:  the 
girl  is  equally  flattered  when  the  man  complies. 

The  third  afternoon,  as  he  was  leaving  he  said: 
"I  shall  be  at  the  Prince  and  Princess  PontiofT's 
ball  tonight.  Will  you  give  me  a  dance?" 

"You   shall   have   half   of   Captain   Bertram's 


The  Breath  of  the  Dragon  71 

waltz.  I  promised  him  a  whole  one— but  that  was 
before  I  knew  you  were  coming." 

It  was  the  first  ball  that  Follingsbee  had  been 
invited  to  attend  in  Peking.  When  Princess 
Pontioff  announced  her  intention  of  asking  him, 
the  Prince  had  strenuously  objected.  Where 
upon  she  had  raised  her  eyebrows  and  replied : 

"It  is  my  wish." 

"But  why,  Gabrielle,  why,  I  ask?"  expostulated 
the  Prince,  beside  himself  with  annoyance.  "You 
know  what  he  is — a  man  who  associates  with  the 
lowest  coolies,  who " 

"May  have  a  Chinese  wife  or  two — "  she 
interpolated  calmly.  "And  no  doubt  has.  But 
that  doesn't  prevent  him  from  being  the  most 
interesting  man  in  Peking.  Moreover  the  Great 
Mogul  of  the  Imperial  Maritime  Customs,  before 
whom  all  the  heads  of  legations — including  your 
self,  mon  cher — kowtow  reverently,  has  had  him 
to  tiffin.  I  met  him  there  you  may  remember." 

The  Princess  as  usual  emerged  from  the  con 
troversy  triumphant,  and  the  Prince,  who  adored 
her,  didn't  care. 

Follingsbee  had  two  dances  with  Betty  that 
night.  Betty  afterwards  explained  so  sweetly 
to  the  indignant  German  Charge  d' Affaires,  whose 
dance  Follingsbee  had  taken,  that  it  was  a  mistake, 
that  the  German  was  mollified  and  promptly 
promised  himself  to  arrange  a  picnic  at  the  Bell 
Temple  in  her  honour. 

Captain    Bertram's    indignation    however    fell 


72  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

only  on  Follingsbee.  "  Deuced  bad  form — his 
showing  up  here,"  he  said. 

"Why?"  asked  Princess  Pontioff,  who  happened 
to  hear  him. 

"Er — er — because,"  he  replied,  an  answer  which 
everyone  knows  has  been  the  exclusive  right  of 
women  since  the  days  of  Eve  in  the  Garden. 
Bertram  infringed  on  the  monopoly  to  forestall 
the  words  he  wanted  to  say.  There  are  times 
when  the  little  accident  of  being  a  gentleman  inter 
feres  with  liberty  of  speech. 

When  Follingsbee  went  home  that  night,  his 
heart  was  attuned  to  a  song  older  far  than  the  walls 
of  Peking.  Every  day  since  the  world  began  some 
man  or  woman  has  sung  this  song.  Those  who 
have  never  sung  it  have  missed  what  life  holds 
best  in  youth  and  happiness.  Follingsbee  put 
his  own  words  to  the  song.  They  were:  " Betty f 
Betty,  Betty,  Betty." 

On  the  desk  in  his  rooms  he  found  a  box  and 
inside  of  it  a  paper.  On  the  paper  was  written: 
"Wan  Shou  Shan."  It  was  the  name  of  the 
Empress  Dowager's  Summer  Palace. 

The  box  had  been  brought,  said  his  "boy,"  by 
an  old  woman  some  hours  since. 

"So,"  said  Follingsbee  to  himself,  "A-lu-te  has 
gone  into  the  Dragon's  maw.  It's  two  to  one  I 
won't  succeed  in  getting  her  out  again,  but  I'll 
have  to  make  the  venture  when  she  sends  for  me. 
It's  a  black  outlook  for  her,  for  Fen-Sha,  and — " 
he  shrugged  his  shoulders — "for  me." 


The  Breath  of  the  Dragon  73 

Then  he  lighted  his  pipe  and  fell  to  thinking 
of  Betty  and  the  two  dances  she  had  given  him. 
After  a  little  he  knocked  the  ashes  from  his  pipe 
and  sighed  as  one  who  may  no  longer  dream 
pleasant  dreams.  He  unlocked  a  trunk  in  which 
lay  a  varied  and  strange  assortment  of  Chinese 
clothes.  After  a  careful  inspection,  he  selected  a 
set  of  garments,  placed  it  on  top  of  the  others, 
locked  the  trunk  again,  and  went  to  bed. 


CHAPTER  VII 

THE  GREAT  EMPRESS  DOWAGER 

OUT  on  the  great  Pechili  plain  between  Peking 
and  the  western  hills  a  green  chair  was  being 
carried.  The  chair  bearers  had  fallen  into  a  swift 
steady  pace  resembling  somewhat  the  trot  of  the 
little  North  China  ponies.  The  wind  was  blow 
ing.  The  sun  shone  through  a  strange  yellow 
mist  which  was  like  a  constantly  shifting  trans 
parent  curtain.  The  air  was  laden  with  fine 
particles  of  golden  sand.  The  bearers  breathed 
heavily;  eyes,  ears,  and  nostrils  were  caked  with 
sand.  The  ponies  of  the  escort  hung  their  heads 
low  in  vain  efforts  to  escape  the  sting  of  the  sharp 
flinty  shower. 

Inside  the  chair  A-lu-te  sat  with  curtains  drawn 
tight.  The  chair  swayed,  rising  and  falling  with 
every  step  of  the  bearers. 

Two  hours  had  passed  and  the  motion  had  not 
ceased,  or  varied,  not  even  when  the  men  in  the 
cart  had  taken  the  place  of  those  carrying  the 
chair.  The  transfer  was  made  swiftly,  skilfully, 
and  silently.  A-lu-te  did  not  move  though  her 
limbs  were  numb  from  their  cramped  position. 

74 


The  Great  Empress  Dowager          75 

She  sat  like  a  statue,  except  that  now  and  again 
she  clasped  and  unclasped  her  small,  slender  hands 
and  her  lips  moved  as  if  in  prayer.  Suddenly 
the  bearers  halted.  There  was  loud  talking  and 
shouting  of  orders.  Above  the  general  hubbub 
arose  the  shrill  voices  of  women  exchanging  com 
ments,  asking  questions.  A-lu-te  drew  the  cur 
tains  aside  and  looked  out.  She  saw  fourteen  other 
chairs,  their  occupants  all  young  Manchu  girls 
like  herself  and  as  handsomely  gowned.  Sur 
rounding  the  chairs  were  soldiers,  officers,  and 
bearers.  Someone  stepped  up  to  A-lu-te,  and 
asked  her  to  descend.  She  found  herself  before 
the  large  gates  of  the  Summer  Palace.  A  small 
gate  to  the  right  of  the  large  one  was  thrown  open. 
Palace  eunuchs  appeared  and  invited  the  young 
women  to  enter.  They  passed  into  a  court  beyond 
which  was  another  more  beautiful  than  any  A-lu-te 
had  ever  seen. 

There  were  exquisite  flowers  in  profusion  and 
small  pink  flowering  mimosa  trees  from  the  branches 
of  which  hung  gilt  cages  holding  canary  birds 
singing  sweetly.  In  the  centre  of  the  court  was 
a  marble  basin  filled  with  fragrant  lotus-blossoms; 
water  from  wonderfully  carved  marble  fountains 
sparkled  in  the  sunlight. 

A-lu-te  had  scarcely  time  to  take  in  the  beauty 
of  the  scene  when  they  were  conducted  to  a  large 
pavilion.  Here  tea  and  little  cakes  were  served  to 
them.  The  Manchu  maidens  tittered  and  talked 
among  themselves,  giving  no  heed  to  A-lu-te  who 


76  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

sat  apart  as  if  not  one  of  them.  Many  of  these 
youthful  candidates  for  the  Imperial  Harem  were 
pretty  or  would  have  been  except  for  their  vacant 
expressions.  When  they  had  drunk  their  tea, 
they  moved  about  the  hall,  showing  off  to  one 
another  their  handsome  gowns,  the  ornaments  in 
their  smooth  hair,  their  daintily  embroidered 
shoes.  Or  they  sat  on  the  stiff-backed  ebony 
chairs,  chatting,  and  now  and  again  breaking  into 
little  screams  of  laughter.  They  were  thought 
less,  capricious,  puerile,  and  grossly  ignorant. 
Others,  the  less  pretty  ones,  huddled  together, 
frightened,  sad-eyed,  thinking  of  the  life  that  would 
be  theirs  within  the  Palace  walls;  their  liberty 
gone,  their  souls  embittered,  their  days  ruled  by 
eunuchs,  and,  except  in  name,  not  even  concu 
bines,  if  the  Old  Buddha  so  willed.  For  them  the 
sun  would  set  over  a  life  withered  from  the  start, 
the  flower  of  their  youth  never  having  bloomed. 

More  than  two  hours  passed  and  still  no  one 
came  to  summon  them  before  the  Empress  Dow 
ager.  The  pretty  ones  yawned,  or  examined  the 
furnishings  of  the  room.  On  the  walls  hung  long 
white  silk  panels  on  which  were  painted  golden 
characters.  Flowery  scrolls,  they  were  called. 
They  were  suspended  in  pairs;  the  inscriptions 
were  contrasts,  antitheses,  the  lights  and  shades 
of  the  poet's  thoughts,  the  painter's  fancy.  Be 
fore  one  of  these  ornamental  scrolls  stood  a  small, 
plump  girl.  She  had  a  round  baby  face  and  eyes 
full  of  caprice  and  cunning.  Upon  the  scroll  she 


The  Great  Empress  Dowager          77 

was  examining  was  written:  "The  bright  sun  rises 
over  the  eastern  mountains.  A  new  glory  re 
awakens  the  earth  to  the  impulse  of  spring.  The 
pink  peach  flowers  open  their  beauties  to  the 
light  and  the  heart  of  youth  to  love." 

"I  wish  I  knew  what  is  written  there,"  she  said. 

A  tall  girl,  with  cheeks  thickly  daubed  with 
almond  paste  and  crimson  paint,  tossed  her  head 
scornfully. 

"What!  you  have  not  learned  to  read?  How 
ignorant  you  are!" 

"No  more  than  you,"  retorted  the  pretty  plump 
one  quickly.  The  others  laughed.  The  tall  girl 
replied  haughtily:  "You  are  in  error,  I  read  with 


ease." 


"What  says  the  Flowery  scroll?"  challenged  the 
pretty  one. 

The  tall  girl  struck  an  affected  attitude,  studied 
the  panel  a  moment  in  silence,  and  in  a  singsong 
voice  said  glibly,  "Our  primary  duty  is  to  make 
our  family  illustrious  and  bring  glory  to  our  race." 

Her  companions  were  impressed,  she  had  vindi 
cated  to  their  complete  satisfaction  her  pretensions 
to  read. 

A-lu-te  smiled  disdainfully. 

The  door  opened;  a  tall,  magnificently  clad 
eunuch  entered.  He  wore  the  red  button  and 
peacock  feather,  insignias  of  exalted  rank,  never 
before  accorded  a  eunuch.  A-lu-te  thought  she 
had  seldom  seen  so  ugly  a  man.  His  eyes  gleamed 
like  live  coals  in  his  sunken  orbits.  His  jaw  was 


78  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

lean  and  heavy;  his  lower  lip  protruded.  The 
expression  of  his  face  was  a  curious  blending  of 
the  servility  of  a  slave  and  the  cold  cruelty  of  a 
despot.  His  manners  were  as  polished  as  the 
handsome  jade  buckle  which  held  his  belt  together. 
The  eunuch  was  Li  Lien  Ying,  known  throughout 
the  Middle  Kingdom  as  P'i  Hsiao  Li,  or  Cobbler's 
Wax  Li,  the  powerful  Chamberlain  before  whom 
even  royal  princes  and  famous  statesmen  forgot 
to  be  haughty.  He  bowed  ceremoniously  to  the 
young  Manchu  girls  and  addressed  to  each  some 
comment  attesting  his  knowledge  of  her  father's 
rank  in  the  capital  or  province,  or  something  of 
her  family  history.  They  in  turn  showed  him  a 
marked  deference.  Perhaps  because  A-lu-te  was 
afraid  of  him  and  resented  the  slight  shudder 
which  passed  over  her  slender  figure,  she  drew 
herself  very  straight  and  returned  his  gaze  haugh 
tily. 

Li  gave  her  another  look  of  penetrating  keen 
ness  which  she  bore  without  flinching,  though  her 
heart  throbbed  painfully.  He  did  not  speak  to 
her.  His  manner  had  suddenly  changed;  he  was 
no  longer  the  suave  courtier,  but  the  influential 
confidant  and  adviser  of  the  Empress  Dowager, 
the  man  whose  caprice  or  hatred  all  at  Court 
except  his  royal  mistress  had  learnt  to  fear.  He 
bowed  again  to  the  young  women,  turned,  and 
left  the  room.  Soon  Palace  eunuchs  appeared. 
The  names  of  ten  of  the  young  women  were  read 
aloud.  They  were  then  conducted  to  the  imperial 


The  Great  Empress  Dowager          79 

pavilion  where  her  Majesty,  the  Empress  Dowager 
herself,  would  inspect  them.  The  five  girls  whose 
names  were  not  read  were  invited  to  return  to  their 
homes.  They  were  presented  with  bolts  of  silk 
and  boxes  of  sweetmeats  which  servants  carried 
before  them  to  their  chairs.  Cobbler's  Wax  Li 
had  passed  judgment  upon  them.  They  were 
not  worthy  of  being  presented  to  the  Empress 
Dowager  for  selection  for  the  Emperor's  harem. 

Among  the  rejected  was  A-lu-te. 

Her  four  slighted  companions  rose  hastily  to 
leave  the  Summer  Palace.  Their  first  feeling  of 
humiliation  was  quickly  forgotten  in  a  pleasant 
realization  that  they  had  escaped  the  slavery  of 
life  behind  the  Palace  walls.  No  one  noticed 
that  A-lu-te  remained  behind  in  the  empty  pavilion. 

She  had  not  prepared  herself  for  the  possibility 
of  not  being  admitted  to  the  Empress  Dowager's 
presence.  Her  precautions  had  been  too  care 
fully  taken,  her  plans  too  well  laid  that  Li  should 
have  divined  her  identity,  and  fully  aware  of  the 
comeliness  of  her  person,  she  had  not  deemed  it  in 
the  least  probable  that  the  Chief  Eunuch  would 
pass  adversely  upon  her  physical  merits.  What 
then  had  induced  him  to  reject  her?  Had  she 
succeeded  so  far  in  her  perilous  undertaking,  only 
to  be  balked  at  the  very  doors  of  the  Palace?  An 
hour  passed  as  she  sat  in  the  empty  hall  thinking 
deeply.  Then  she  rose  and  stepped  out  into  the 
court.  At  the  same  moment  the  Chief  Eunuch, 
followed  by  his  personal  attendants,  entered  the 


8o  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

court,  from  the  opposite  direction.  When  he 
saw  A-lu-te,  his  face  grew  dark  as  if  the  shadow 
of  a  thunder-cloud  had  fallen  athwart  it.  He 
turned  to  one  of  his  menials,  the  same  who  had 
escorted  the  rejected  Manchu  maidens  from  the 
Palace  enclosure. 

"How  is  this,  dog?"  he  exclaimed  in  an  angry 
voice.  "Why  did  you  fail  to  assist  the  honour 
able  lady  to  her  chair  at  the  outer  gate?" 

The  trembling  servant  replied  that  he  thought 
she  had  been  with  those  whom  he  had  seen  depart. 

"Fifty  blows  of  the  big  bamboo,"  ordered  Li. 

Instantly  the  fellow  was  seized  and  thrown 
down,  his  back  bared  and  the  blows  administered. 
His  ashen  face  was  prone  on  the  ground;  except 
for  the  quivering  of  his  flesh  he  lay  as  one  dead. 

With  a  sneer  undisguised  beneath  his  suavity, 
Li  turned  to  A-lu-te.  "Through  the  negligence 
of  my  servant,  I  am  rewarded;  to  me  falls  the 
honour  of  escorting  you  to  your  chair." 

"It  is  unnecessary;  I  am  not  seeking  my  chair," 
replied  A-lu-te  calmly. 

Li  looked  at  her  and  as  he  looked  his  anger 
grew. 

' '  The  gate  lies  yonder, ' '  he  said  harshly.     "  Go. " 

"I  have  been  summoned  to  appear  before  her 
sacred  Majesty,  the  Empress  Dowager.  Do  you 
presume  to  interfere  with  her  commands?  Stand 
aside  and  let  me  pass." 

The  face  of  the  Chief  Eunuch  became  purple. 
Never  since  the  death  of  An  Te-hai,  the  former 


The  Great  Empress  Dowager          81 

powerful  favourite  of  Tzu  Hsi,  had  royal  prince 
or  statesman  dared  speak  to  him  in  this  manner. 

''Woman,"  his  voice  was  a  low  snarl,  "know 
that  without  my  consent  no  one  may  enter  the 
Precinct.  Make  haste  and  begone." 

He  seized  her  arm.  A-lu-te,  with  a  quick  move 
ment,  wrenched  herself  from  his  grasp  and  before 
either  Li  or  his  attendants  realized,  or  could  pre 
vent  her,  she  had  flown  past  them  into  the  ad 
joining  court  and  on  into  the  next  and  next. 
Finally  as  her  breath  was  failing,  and  the  pur 
suing,  shouting  eunuchs  were  close  upon  her,  she 
came  to  a  large  quadrangular  garden  filled  with 
beautiful  flowering  shrubs  and  rare  exotic  plants 
in  great  cloisonne  pots.  At  the  farther  end  of 
this  garden  she  saw  a  magnificent  building, 
covered  with  wonderful  carving.  On  the  wide 
veranda  of  the  building  hung  innumerable  lan 
terns  of  buffalo  horn,  shaded  with  red  silk.  At 
tached  to  every  lantern  was  a  red  silk  tassel  from 
the  end  of  which  was  suspended  a  handsome  jade 
ornament.  On  the  doors  of  this  palace,  in  great 
red  characters,  blazed  the  word"Shou"  (Long 
Life).  The  shrill,  staccato  voices  of  the  eunuchs 
broke  into  a  yell  of  triumph,  for  A-lu-te  was  almost 
in  the  grasp  of  her  pursuers.  The  doors  of  the 
palace  were  thrown  open  and  a  woman  appeared 
upon  the  threshold. 

She  was  below  the  average  in  height.  Her 
figure  was  slender  and  perfectly  proportioned; 
her  manner  of  holding  herself  was  at  once  graceful 


82  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

and  imperious.  Her  dark  flashing  eyes  were 
veiled  by  long  lashes.  Although  she  was  not 
beautiful,  her  whole  personality  had  something 
in  it  striking  and  fascinating.  She  was  dressed 
in  a  gown  of  sea-green  silk  embroidered  with 
white  water-lilies.  In  her  black  glossy  hair 
gleamed  a  lily  made  of  white  jade  and  coral;  the 
delicate  petals  swayed  with  every  motion  of  her 
head.  A  magnificent  pearl  necklace  hung  down 
to  her  waist.  Her  slender  wrists  were  adorned 
with  pearl  bracelets  of  rare  beauty;  on  the  third 
and  fourth  ringers  were  long  gold  nail-shields 
incrusted  with  pearls.  Her  shapely  feet  were 
encased  in  green  silk  shoes  embroided  to  match  her 
gown  and  ornamented  with  tassels  of  pearl.  She 
appeared  to  be  a  woman  of  thirty-five ;  as  a  matter 
of  fact  she  was  over  fifty.  Such  was  Tzu  Hsi,  the 
great  Empress  Dowager  of  China.  Behind  her, 
straining  forward  the  better  to  see,  stood  a  group 
of  gaily-gowned  ladies.  They  were  insipid-looking 
dolls  with  red  and  white  daubed  cheeks,  pencilled 
eyebrows,  and  brilliant  carmine  patches  on  their  lips. 
A-lu-te  flung  herself  on  the  ground  and  kow 
towed.  From  under  her  long  lashes  Tzii  Hsi 
looked  at  her  in  amazement.  The  court  ladies 
gasped.  It  was  in  truth  a  strange  spectacle,  this 
which  confronted  them — a  beautiful  and  richly 
dressed  young  Manchu  woman,  a  stranger  to 
them  all,  forcing  her  way  into  the  sacred  presence, 
pursued  by  shouting,  angry  Palace  eunuchs  and 
by  the  great  Chamberlain  himself. 


The  Great  Empress  Dowager          83 

"What  means  this  uproar?'*  demanded  Tzu 
Hsi.  The  Chief  Eunuch  pointed  angrily  to 
A-lu-te  prostrate  on  the  ground.  "She  came 
with  the  other  candidates  to  present  herself  for 
the  Imperial  Women's  Palace,  but  was  dismissed 
with  the  customary  gifts.  _An  hour  later  she 
was  discovered  roaming  through  the  courts  seek 
ing,  no  doubt,  in  her  deep  guile  and  ignorance  of 
his  absence,  to  encounter  the  Emperor." 

Tzu  Hsi  frowned.  This  was  indeed  an  offence 
passed  pardoning.  The  ten  maidens,  belonging 
to  the  beauty  and  fashion  of  the  Manchu  aristo 
cracy,  who  had  passed  before  her  critical  eye 
that  morning,  were  already  lodged  in  a  special 
part  of  the  Palace  to  be  instructed  in  court 
manners  and  etiquette.  Later  they  would  a- 
gain  appear  before  her,  and  according  to  the 
knowledge  obtained  of  their  dispositions  and 
characters,  she  would  retain  them  at  the  Sum 
mer  Palace  in  her  own  service,  or  send  them  to 
the  Yellow  City  to  be  wives — if  he  so  desired — 
of  their  sovereign,  the  young  Emperor,  Kuang- 
Hsu. 

For  a  maiden  to  try  and  show  herself  to  the 
Emperor  before  the  Empress  Dowager  had  passed 
upon  her  and  assigned  her  to  her  place,  was  an 
unheard-of  procedure. 

"What  is  your  name?  Speak  girl!"  she  com 
manded,  addressing  A-lu-te. 

'  * Wangti, ' '  came  the  soft  answer.  ' '  Your  hand 
maiden  is  the  daughter  of  your  servant  Lord  Ko 


84  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

Lin  Ch'in  in  Pao-Chou  and  niece  of  your  servant 
Lord  Yin  in  Peking." 

A-lu-te  had  a  low,  sweet  voice,  pleasant  to  the 
ear,  her  enunciation  was  clear,  her  intonation 
excellent.  The  Empress  Dowager  laid  stress  on 
such  matters. 

"Your  conduct  is  extraordinary.  What  have 
you  to  say  concerning  it?" 

"Yonder  Palace  menial — he  with  the  gross  and 
ugly  face  who  just  spoke — essayed  to  prevent  your 
handmaiden  from  presenting  herself  before  your 
Majesty's  August  Presence  in  obedience  to  her 
Imperial  Decree." 

All  stood  aghast  at  the  intrepidity  of  this  speech. 
The  Chief  Eunuch  gnashed  his  teeth  in  rage.  He 
waited  with  ill-concealed  impatience  to  inflict 
the  punishment  he  was  convinced  would  be  ordered 
administered  upon  this  audacious  creature. 

But  the  great  Old  Buddha — as  Tzu  Hsi  was 
called  by  the  eunuchs — was  a  woman  of  impulse. 
She  was  kind,  gentle,  gracious,  and  affable  when 
no  passion  excited  her.  Also  the  present  situa 
tion  appealed  to  her  sense  of  humour,  of  which  she 
possessed  an  abundant  and  varied  store. 

"What  think  you  of  your  portrait,  Li?  Gross 
and  ugly!  You  had  best  mend  your  life  and  so 
cure  the  first  defect.  As  for  the  second,  pray  to 
the  gods  to  tell  you  a  remedy.  I  know  of  none 
myself." 

She  laughed  again.  "Get  up,  girl,  and  let  me 
have  a  look  at  you,"  she  said. 


The  Great  Empress  Dowager          85 

A-lu-te  rose  and  stood  with  downcast  eyes 
before  her. 

1  'Hem,"  said  the  Empress  Dowager,  "your 
face  at  least  cannot  be  called  ugly."  She  chuckled 
and  threw  a  malicious  glance  at  her  discomfited 
Chamberlain.  Li  dug  his  nails  deep  into  the 
palms  of  his  hands.  He  inwardly  swore  to  be 
avenged  not  only  upon  the  girl  but  upon  all  her 
family  to  her  most  distant  relation. 

"Would  you  like  to  remain  with  me?"  asked 
the  Empress  Dowager,  tipping  up  A-lu-te's  chin 
and  smiling  into  her  eyes.  She  had  a  charm  when 
she  chose  to  exert  it,  which  was  irresistible. 

"Yes,"  replied  A-lu-te,  clasping  her  hands 
together.  Her  eagerness  was  not  assumed.  Tzu 
Hsi  was  pleased.  She  patted  the  girl's  cheek. 

"We  will  see  how  you  behave  yourself.  You 
must  not  give  us  any  more  of  your  portraits, 
however,  or  I  fancy  you  will  get  into  trouble — 
with  the  court  painters."  She  laughed  again; 
then  turned  and  entered  the  imperial  pavilion. 

"Come,"  she  called  over  her  shoulder. 

A-lu-te  hastened  to  obey.  She  had  no  desire 
to  be  left  alone  with  the  Chief  Eunuch.  She 
seemed  to  read  in  his  small,  glittering  eyes,  as  he 
looked  at  her,  something  fiend-like. 

The  court  ladies  whispered  to  one  another  in 
low,  excited  voices,  as  they  gently  pushed  her 
through  the  heavy  blue  satin  portieres  into  the 
throne  room. 

A-lu-te   had   a   confused   impression   of   walls, 


86  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

made  of  beautiful,  carved  open  woodwork,  lined 
with  blue  satin ;  of  teakwood  screens  inlaid  with 
lapis-lazuli ;  of  wonderful  cloisonne  vases;  of 
pyramids  of  sweet-smelling  fruits  and  bowls  of 
perfumed  "Buddha's  hands";  of  rare  orchids  in 
priceless  jardinieres,  and  everywhere  flowers  in 
bewildering  profusion. 

Tzii  Hsi  resumed  her  interrupted  painting — 
the  branch  of  a  plum-tree  in  bloom. 

"Can  you  read?"  she  asked. 

"Yes." 

Tzii  Hsi  nodded  with  satisfaction.  Few  of  the 
Manchu  ladies  at  her  Court  could  either  read  or 
write. 

' '  Have  you  studied  The  Five  Ching  and  The  Four 
Shu'?" 

"Your  handmaiden  has  read  them." 

"I  will  see  how  well  you  remember  what  you 
have  read.  I  will  recite  and  you  will  finish  what 
I  begin." 

There  were  few  pastimes  which  the  Empress 
Dowager,  whose  memory  was  prodigious,  enjoyed 
more  than  quoting  from  the  classics  and  from  her 
favourite  authors.  She  often  entertained  herself 
in  this  manner  with  Wang,  a  scholarly  eunuch  in 
the  palace. 

"Do  you  know  The  Doctrine  of  the  Mean?"  she 
asked. 

"Yes,"  replied  A-lu-te. 

Tzu  Hsi  determined  to  put  this  assumption  of 
knowledge  to  a  severe  test.  If  the  girl  had  lied 


The  Great  Empress  Dowager          87 

to  her,  or  even  bragged  unduly,  she  would  turn  her 
over  to  Li,  to  be  punished  and  ejected  from  the 
Palace. 

Tzu  Hsi  had  a  supreme  contempt  for  those  who 
affected  a  knowledge  they  did  not  possess. 

In  an  exquisitely  modulated  voice,  sweet  and 
musical  as  the  sound  of  a  lute,  she  began  to  recite, 
gracefully  gesticulating  with  her  hand. 

"The  heaven  now  before  us  is  only  this  bright 
shining  spot;  but  when  viewed  in  its  inexhaustible 
extent,  the  sun,  moon,  stars,  and  constellations 
of  the  Zodiac  are  suspended  in  it,  and  all  things 
are  overspread  by  it." 

She  paused. 

"The  earth  before  us  is  but  a  handful  of  soil," 
quoted  A-lu-te  in  her  fresh  young  voice,  "but 
when  regarded  in  its  breadth  and  thickness,  it 
sustains  mountains  like  the  Hwa  and  the  Yo, 
without  feeling  their  weight,  and  contains  the 
rivers  and  seas  without  their  leaking  away." 

Tzu  Hsi  smiled,  well-pleased,  and  continued: 

"The  mountain  now  before  us  appears  only  a 
stone,  but  when  contemplated  in  all  the  vastness 
of  its  size,  we  see  how  the  grass  and  trees  are  pro 
duced  on  it  and  birds  and  beasts  dwell  on  it,  and 
precious  things  which  men  treasure  up  are  found 
on  it." 

She  paused  again.  Without  hesitation  A-lu-te 
carried  on  the  quotation. 

"The  water  now  before  us  appears  but  a  ladle- 
ful,  yet  extending  our  view  to  its  unfathomable 


88  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

depths,  the  largest  tortoises,  iguanas,  iguanodons, 
dragons,  fishes,  and  turtles  are  produced  in  them, 
articles  of  value  and  sources  of  wealth  abound  in 
them." 

"Good!  Good!"  cried  the  Empress  Dowager, 
"you  have  read  and  remembered  well."  She  now 
recited  a  long  poem  from  the  Book  of  Odes. 

"You  know  that?"  she  asked  when  she  had 
concluded  the  poem. 

"Yes,  it  is  from  the  Odes  of  Ts'in,"  replied 
A-lu-te. 

"Ah!  We  shall  get  along  famously  together!" 
declared  Tzu  Hsi.  "You  have  some  wit  and 
knowledge  in  your  head,  which  is  more  than  I  can 
say  for  most  of  the  ladies  here,"  and  she  waved  her 
delicate  little  hand  disdainfully  toward  the  doll- 
like  group  standing  near. 

"Have  you  knowledge  of  history?"  she  con 
tinued  her  catechism. 

"A  little,"  said  A-lu-te. 

"It  is  a  splendid  study  for  men.  History  is  not 
much  use  to  a  woman  unless  she  is  an  empress. 
Now,  I  have  derived  benefit  from  the  study  of 
dynasties  and  the  separate  reigns  of  the  emperors. 
I  know  them  all  perfectly.  The  Tang  dynasty 
is  one  of  the  most  interesting.  Tao-tsung  had  a 
fine  mind;  we  are  indebted  to  him  for  the  preser 
vation  of  the  classics  and  for  the  wonderful  system 
of  literary  examination  which  has  made  my  coun 
try  the  most  learned  in  the  world  and  my  states 
men  the  most  enlightened.  And  the  Empress 


The  Great  Empress  Dowager          89 

Wu,  what  a  great  woman  we  have  there!  What 
can  you  tell  me  of  her?" 

"She  was  a  fei  in  the  Palace  of  the  Emperor 
Kau-tsung.  She  strangled  her  first-born  and 
accused  the  Empress  Wang-shi  of  the  deed,  then 
persuaded  the  Emperor  to  condemn  Wang-shi 
to  death  and  make  her  his  Empress  instead." 

The  Old  Buddha  waved  her  hand.  "Yes,  yes, 
but  those  are  minor  details — unimportant  inci 
dents  in  a  great  career.  She  extended  the  Em 
pire;  she  formulated  excellent  laws  for  the  benefit 
of  the  people,  whose  miseries  she  ever  sought  to 
alleviate,  she  made " 

Tzu  Hsi  stopped  abruptly  and  stared  with  an 
expression  of  anger,  surprise,  and  disgust  at  the 
paint-brush  she  had  momentarily  laid  down  while 
recounting  the  excellent  qualities  of  the  Empress 
Wu.  A  fly  had  alighted  on  the  ivory  handle  of 
the  brush.  Consternation  was  depicted  on  the 
faces  of  her  attendants,  as  their  eyes  followed  her 
gaze. 

"That,"  said  the  Empress  Dowager  in  slow 
accusing  accents,  addressing  the  frightened  eunuch 
at  the  door,  whose  duty  it  was  to  keep  flies  from 
entering  the  apartment  where  her  Majesty  was, 
"that  is  the  second  one  this  week." 

Turning  to  A-lu-te  she  said:  "You  see  how 
badly  I  am  served.  All  my  servants,  and  all 
the  court  ladies  too,  know  how  I  abhor  those 
flies,  yet  no  one  tries  to  keep  the  creatures  away 
from  me,  or  even  prevent  them  from  actually 


9O  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

alighting  on  articles  I  am  using!  Destroy  that 
brush!"  she  commanded  the  eunuch.  "I  am 
sorry  to  lose  it ;  it  was  a  good  one.  Tell  the  beater 
to  give  you  twenty  blows  with  the  big  bamboo. 
I  shan't  paint  any  more  today;  I  am  no  longer 
in  the  mood.  That  is  always  the  way — no  sooner 
do  I  find  time  for  a  little  quiet  recreation  than  I 
am  harassed  and  tormented  beyond  endurance. 
The  wife  of  a  seventh-grade  mandarin  is  better 
served  than  I  am.  Where  is  Cha?" 

A  small  white  Pekingese  dog  was  brought  in. 
He  bounded  toward  his  mistress,  his  long,  curly 
tail  wagging  ecstatically.  "Cha  is  the  only  one 
who  really  wants  to  please  me  all  the  time." 
She  stroked  the  little  fellow's  soft,  silky  hair  and 
tossed  him  a  sweetmeat  which  he  caught  dexter 
ously  in  the  air.  Like  his  royal  mistress  he  was 
devoted  to  sweets.  He  sat  now  on  his  fluffy  tail 
and  waved  his  forepaws;  his  small  red  tongue 
lolled  out  expectantly.  She  tossed  him  a  second 
sugar  dainty  and  patted  him  again. 

"That  is  enough;  take  him  away,"  she  ordered. 

Cha  was  carried  out  feebly  protesting. 

A  eunuch  brought  a  tray  containing  a  cake 
of  perfumed  soap,  a  towel,  and  a  bowl  of  hot 
water.  He  knelt  before  Tzu  Hsi  while  she  care 
fully  washed  the  hand  which  had  caressed  the 
dog. 

"Do  you  sing,"  she  asked  A-lu-te. 

"Yes." 

"Then  come  with  me;  I  will  rest  and  perhaps 


The  Great  Empress  Dowager          91 

sleep  if  your  music  is  soothing.  Most  of  my  people 
here  have  voices  like  cats." 

The  Empress  Dowager's  nerves  had  been  jarred. 
She  felt  irritable  in  consequence.  Under  ordinary 
circumstances  these  imperial  speeches,  accom 
panied  as  they  were  by  imperial  favour  would  have 
engendered  among  the  court  ladies  a  feeling  of 
bitter  antagonism  toward  the  favoured  one  and  a 
desire  for  swift  revenge.  But  not  so  now.  They 
knew  that  A-lu-te  had  gained  the  enmity  of  the 
most  influential  person  at  court,  namely,  the 
Chief  Eunuch.  His  revenge  might  be  slow  in 
coming,  but  that  it  would  be  terrible  was  certain. 
Had  they  not  been  witness  to  the  proof  of  this 
many  times?  They  were  quite  willing  to  leave 
everything  to  him  and  wait. 

The  Empress  Dowager  ordered  A-lu-te  to  take 
the  Yueh-Kin,  the  "full-moon  guitar,"  an  instru 
ment  of  four  strings,  and  follow  her  into  her  bed 
room.  The  other  ladies  were  commanded  to 
remain  without. 

In  the  bedroom  the  air  was  heavy  with  per 
fumes. 

Near  a  window  stood  two  long  sandalwood 
tables  covered  with  toilet  articles,  combs,  almond 
paste,  pink  powder,  lotions  made  of  honey  and 
jasmine,  and  scented  soap  of  various  kinds.  Beau 
tifully  embroidered  white  silk  curtains  hung  from 
the  carved  sandalwood  frame  over  the  bed.  On 
the  yellow  brocade  mattresses  were  soft  sheets  of 
pink,  blue,  green,  mauve,  and  violet  silk;  pillows  of 


92  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

the  same  shades,  richly  embroidered,  completed 
this  riot  of  colour  which  in  delicacy  and  loveliness 
resembled  a  variegated  flower-garden.  When  the 
dainty  form  of  Tzu  Hsi  was  stretched  on  this  gay 
bed  and  her  head  was  pillowed  on  her  favourite 
cushion  of  tea-leaves,  she  might  have  been  taken 
for  a  fairy  reclining  on  a  fragrant  bouquet. 

"Sing,"  she  said  to  A-lu-te,  and  closed  her  eyes. 

The  girl  struck  the  strings  of  the  guitar  with 
her  nail  and  in  a  soft  plaintive  voice,  pitched  in 
the  falsetto  key,  sang  the  Bridal  Song  from  the 
Shi  King: 

Ho,  graceful  little  peach  tree, 
Brightly  thy  blossoms  bloom 
Go,  maiden,  to  thy  husband, 
Adorn  his  hall,  his  room. 

A-lu-te  sang  verse  after  verse  while  the  Empress 
Dowager  watched  her  from  under  half-closed 
eyelids.  She  felt  irresistibly  attracted  towards 
her,  and  determined  to  keep  her  in  the  Palace. 
She  had  no  intention  of  permitting  her  to  enter 
the  Emperor's  harem.  This  was  not  because  the 
girl  was  pretty — among  the  imperial  concubines 
were  many  quite  as  good  to  look  upon  as  she — 
but  because  her  attractive  personality  was  com 
bined  with  fearlessness  and  quick  intelligence. 
Such  characteristics  were  dangerous  ones  to  place 
near  the  Emperor.  Moreover  if  the  girl  bore  him 
a  son,  her  own  days  of  absolute  power  would  be 


The  Great  Empress  Dowager         93 

imperilled.  Had  she  not  risen  to  be  autocrat 
of  all  China  because  she  herself  had  wit,  beauty, 
and  had  attained  motherhood?  It  would  be 
supreme  folly  to  risk  a  repetition  of  such  a  thing 
in  the  Palace.  She  had  selected  the  first  and 
second  wives  of  the  young  Emperor  and  all  his 
concubines  with  the  utmost  care  for  this  very 
reason.  Many  of  these  women  were  beautiful, 
all  were  insipid,  and  the  Emperor,  like  herself, 
could  only  tolerate,  never  like,  stupid  people. 
To  be  sure  the  young  Empress — her  niece — had 
a  certain  keen  intelligence,  but  was  nevertheless 
harmless.  She  was  not  attractive;  her  teeth  were 
black,  her  skin  sallow,  her  figure  bad,  and  her 
admiration  and  fear  of  her  royal  aunt  all  that 
could  be  desired.  Kuang  Hsu  detested  this  wife 
of  his.  He  had  evinced  his  dislike  the  first  day 
of  their  marriage  by  throwing  his  shoe  at  her. 
Tzu  Hsi  had  carefully  fostered  the  estrangement 
till  now  only  a  thinly  veiled  enmity  existed  be 
tween  the  two,  an  enmity  most  useful  to  her  own 
purpose. 

While  these  thoughts  flashed  through  the  Im 
perial  Lady's  mind,  A-lu-te  finished  her  song. 

The  Empress  Dowager  pretended  to  sleep. 

A-lu-te  stood  quite  still,  gazing  long  and  thought 
fully  upon  the  charming  face. 

The  dark  eyes  which  gave  to  the  royal  coun 
tenance  that  look  of  vivacious  intelligence  were 
hidden  under  long  black  lashes;  the  soft  olive  of 
the  complexion  was  free  from  paint  or  cosmetics; 


94  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

about  the  rather  large  mouth  lurked  a  smile, 
sweet  and  appealing  as  that  of  a  child;  in  the 
small  firm  chin  alone  lay  a  suggestion  of  that 
iron  will  which  brooked  no  opposition  and  which 
had  helped  to  make  Tzu  Hsi  the  greatest  woman 
in  the  history  of  China.  As  A-lu-te  looked,  she 
wondered  if  it  could  be  true  that  this  gracious 
little  lady  was  the  same  who  had  commanded  her 
adopted  father  to  commit  suicide  and  who  had 
condemned  Fen-Sha,  her  playmate,  friend,  and 
betrothed,  to  the  lingering  death,  to  the  dreadful 
slicing  process. 

Tzu  Hsi  suddenly  opened  her  eyes  wide.  A-lu-te 
started  guiltily. 

"Well?  What  do  you  think  of  me?"  The 
silver  voice  rang  with  an  amused  challenge. 

"Your  handmaiden  thinks  that  your  Majesty 
and  Kuan  Yin"  (the  Goddess  of  Mercy)  "must  be 
sisters,  so  great  is  their  resemblance  to  each  other," 
returned  A-lu-te.  Now  one  of  the  favourite  diver 
sions  of  the  Empress  Dowager  was  taking  part  in 
elaborate  court  pageants  attired  as  Kuan  Yin, 
to  whom  she  loved  above  all  things  to  be  compared. 
A-lu-te's  quick  reply  was  therefore  a  particularly 
happy  one  and  greatly  pleased  the  Empress 
Dowager. 

"Wangti,"  she  said  softly,  "come  here — nearer — 
so."  A-lu-te  sank  on  her  knees  by  the  bed. 
Tzu  Hsi  touched  the  bowed  head  lightly,  tenderly. 
"  I  do  not  know  why  it  is,  but  I  feel  as  if  I  had  al 
ways  known  you — always  loved  you,  and  I  want 


The  Great  Empress  Dowager         95 

you  always  to  try  and  please  me,  so  that  I  need 
never  have  cause  to  be  angry  with  you.  Please 
promise  me  this,  will  you?" 

"Yes,"  said  A-lu-te  in  a  low  voice. 

"Call  one  of  the  eunuchs  in  attendance  in  the 
outer  room,"  commanded  the  Empress  Dowager, 
and  when  he  appeared  she  issued  a  few  rapid 
orders.  The  eunuch  kowtowed  and  hastened 
from  the  royal  bedroom.  Turning  to  A-lu-te 
again,  Tzu  Hsi  said:  "You  can  go  now  and  rest 
till  I  send  for  you.  I  have  assigned  the  eunuch 
S'ang  to  be  your  servant.  He  will  show  you  your 
room.  One  of  the  court  ladies,  Chou-Chau,  has 
the  same  house  with  you;  you  need  not  be  polite 
to  her." 

When  A-lu-te  left  the  room  the  court  ladies  in 
attendance  crowded  around  her.  The  eyes  of 
some  expressed  ill-will,  others  merely  vapid  curi 
osity.  A-lu-te  was  plied  with  questions  which 
she  was  at  no  pains  to  answer.  ' '  I  am  commanded 
to  seek  my  room;  I  cannot  stay  to  talk,"  she  said, 
and  followed  the  eunuch  who  was  to  conduct  her 
to  her  pavilion.  A-lu-te  had  successfully  installed 
herself  in  the  Summer  Palace.  Would  she  succeed 
as  well  in  the  next  step  of  her  perilous  plan? 
This  was  the  question  she  asked  herself  as  she 
followed  her  guide. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

THE   PERILS   IN   THE   PALACE 

THE  pavilion  in  which  A-lu-te  found  herself 
was  a  charming  little  building  overlooking  terraces 
resplendent  with  flowers.  The  pavilion,  with  its 
gaily  painted  pillars,  its  bright  tiled  roof  and  or 
namental  eaves  and  general  look  of  an  exquisite 
Oriental  tent  solidified,  resembled,  except  in 
size,  most  of  the  dwellings  in  the  Summer  Palace. 

In  A-lu-te 's  room,  the  windows  commanded  a 
marvellous  view  of  hills,  temples,  and  lake.  Rose- 
silk  awnings  shed  a  soft  subdued  light  in  the  inte 
rior;  rose-silk  hangings  showed  through  the 
interstices  of  the  screen-like  walls,  and  rose-silk 
cushions  covered  the  ebony  chairs  and  K'ang.  A 
fresh  sweet  fragrance  from  the  flower-filled  courts 
permeated  the  air.  It  was  a  retreat  to  rest  in, 
to  dream  pleasant  dreams.  But  A-lu-te  was  in 
different  to  its  charm.  She  dropped  into  a  chair, 
a  sense  of  unreality  upon  her.  She  thought  of 
her  journey  to  Peking  as  maid  to  the  care-free, 
happy  foreign  girl,  of  her  arrival  in  the  capital, 
her  beggar's  disguise;  her  old  amah's  joy  at  seeing 
her  again,  her  search  for  Fen-Sha's  friend;  her 

96 


The  Perils  in  the  Palace  97 

visit  to  the  house  of  Lady  Yin,  and  finally  her 
presence  in  Wan  Shou  Shan.  All  this  appeared 
to  her  a  phantasmagoria.  She  asked  herself 
whether  it  was  true  that  she  was  in  the  Summer 
Palace;  that  she  had  really  passed  the  scrutiny  of 
the  formidable  Chief  Eunuch  and  successfully 
ingratiated  herself  with  the  Empress  Dowager. 
How  would  it  all  end?  Would  she  succeed  in 
saving  Fen-Sha,  or  would  she  not  only  lose  her 
own  life,  but  hasten  the  execution  of  his  terrible 
death  sentence? 

These  reflections  clashed  in  her  head,  till  her 
brain  grew  weary  and  her  heart  grew  chill  and 
heavy.  But  her  indomitable  courage  and  confi 
dence — the  two  strong  pinions  of  her  soul — soon 
bore  her  up  again  from  the  depth  of  despondency. 
She  now  recalled  every  word  and  look  the  Em 
press  Dowager  had  given  her;  they  indicated 
something  more  than  mere  transitory  liking  for 
the  young  stranger  who  had  forced  her  way  into 
the  royal  presence,  something  more  than  passing 
pleasure  in  her  personality  and  her  intelligence. 
A-lu-te  was  sure  of  this;  for  she  herself  had  ex 
perienced  a  strange  sense  of  attraction,  even  of 
sympathy  for  the  great  Empress,  and  this  in  spite 
of  the  causes  she  had  to  hate  and  abhor  her. 

As  these  thoughts  passed  in  rapid  succession 
through  A-lu-te's  mind  she  was  subconsciously 
aware  of  the  recurrent  sound  of  a  hard  rasping 
cough.  The  cough  now  became  a  paroxysm, 
lasting  several  minutes.  A-lu-te  rose,  entered 


98  The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

the  middle  hall,  and  followed  the  direction  from 
which  came  this  painful  sound.  It  led  her  into  a 
small  unattractive  room.  A  thin  little  figure, 
gaily  clad,  lay  on  the  K'ang. 

A-lu-te  first  thought  she  was  in  the  presence  of 
some  child,  till  drawing  nearer  she  saw  that  the 
small  sickly  face  belonged  to  a  young  woman. 

She  remembered  suddenly  that  the  Empress 
Dowager  had  said,  "One  of  the  court  ladies — 
Chou-Chau — shares  the  house  with  you.  You 
need  not  be  polite  to  her." 

"Are  you  the  Lady  Chou-Chau?"  she  asked. 

The  young  woman,  unaware  of  A-lu-te 's  en 
trance  till  she  spoke,  rose  hastily  from  the  K'ang 
and  courtsied. 

"Yes,"  she  said  in  a  frightened  voice.  "Am  I 
late?  Has  Lao  Fo  Yeh"  (the  great  Old  Buddha) 
"sent  you  for  me?" 

"No,  I  heard  you  coughing.  You  look  sick; 
can  I  help  you?" 

An  expression  of  surprise,  almost  incredulity, 
swept  over  the  thin  face  of  Chou-Chau.  "You 
heard  me  coughing  and  came  to  help  me?  How 
curious!"  she  exclaimed. 

"Why  is  it  strange  that  I  should  wish  to  help 
you?"  asked  A-lu-te. 

"Why?"  answered  the  other,  staring  hard  at 
her  visitor.  "Because  it  is  not  customary  here 
to  help  any  one." 

Her  voice  was  not  bitter.  She  was  merely 
imparting  information  to  one  inquiring  for  it. 


The  Perils  in  the  Palace  99 

A-lu-te  shivered  a  little  and  was  silent. 

"When  did  you  come?"  continued  Chou-Chau. 

"This  morning." 

"Is  your  room  in  this  house?" 

"Yes,  on  the  other  side  of  the  hall." 

"The  large  room  with  the  rose  curtains?  It  is 
pretty  in  there.  Sometimes  I  stop  to  look  in 
when  I  pass  the  door." 

"The  next  time  you  must  come  inside  and  sit 
down." 

Again  Chou-Chau  appeared  surprised.  She 
turned  to  a  small  lacquer  cabinet,  opened  a  drawer, 
and  took  from  it  some  red  and  white  paint  which 
she  proceeded  to  apply  in  an  inartistic  manner 
to  her  forehead,  cheeks,  and  lips.  With  a  charred 
stick  she  blackened  her  eyebrows  to  resemble  a 
crescent  moon.  When  her  task  was  completed 
she  resembled  a  mocking  death's  head,  grotesquely 
painted.  "I  must  go  now.  It  is  my  turn  to  sit 
today,"  she  said. 

' '  To  sit !  What  do  you  mean  ? ' '  inquired  A-lu-te 
curiously. 

"When  Lao  Fo  Yeh  takes  her  nap  some  of  the 
court  ladies.,  watch  in  her  room." 

"Then  you  need  not  hurry;  her  Majesty  has 
already  had  her  nap,"  said  A-lu-te. 

This  announcement  threw  Chou-Chau  into  the 
greatest  consternation.  "She  has  had  her  nap!" 
she  cried,  wringing  her  hands.  "Yet  it  is  a  full 
hour  before  her  usual  time.  Oh !  what  shall  I  do ! 
What  shall  I  do!" 


ioo          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

"If,  as  you  say,  it  is  a  full  hour  before  her  usual 
time  why  are  you  so  frightened?  It  is  not  your 
fault  that  you  were  not  on  time." 

"What  difference  does  that  make?  I  shall  be 
punished  just  the  same.  I  only  came  back  to 
rest  a  little  while — I  was  so  tired  and  my  cough 
bothered  me.  And  now  I  am  late!"  She  looked 
terrified. 

A-lu-te  did  not  attempt  to  disguise  the  scorn 
she  felt  for  such  pusillanimity.  "Don't  be  so 
frightened.  One  would  suppose  you  were  going 
to  receive  a  beating — like  any  slave  girl  or 
eunuch." 

Chou-Chau  ceased  wringing  her  hands.  Her 
expression  changed  abruptly  from  pronounced 
fear  to  quiet  amusement.  A-lu-te  felt  a  return 
of  that  little  shiver  which  had  come  to  her  before 
in  this  room. 

"It  is  plain  to  be  seen  that  you  are  a  newcomer 
here." 

With  these  words  Chou-Chau  hurried  from  the 
pavilion. 

A  certain  faintness  came  to  A-lu-te,  as  one 
overpowered  with  sudden  weariness. 

In  the  middle  hall  she  saw  that  the  eunuch  S'ang 
had  returned. 

"Will  you  have  tea?"  he  asked. 

She  shook  her  head  and  entered  her  room.  A 
few  minutes  later  S'ang  appeared  with  a  tray 
upon  which  was  a  bowl  of  tea,  also  some  bread 
stuffed  with  mince-meat. 


The  Perils  in  the  Palace  101 

"Eat,  it  is  time,'*  he  said  and  placed  the  tray 
before  her. 

"Eat,"  repeated  the  eunuch. 

Mechanically  A-lu-te  drank  the  tea,  but  left 
the  bread  untasted. 

She  pushed  the  tray  from  her. 

"Remove  it,"  she  ordered. 

She  sank  on  the  K'ang  and  closed  her  eyes. 
Her  interview  with  Chou-Chau  had  unaccountably 
left  her  with  less  hope,  less  courage.  She  had  but  a 
week  in  which  to  save  Fen-Sha;  until  now  she 
had  not  faltered  in  her  daring  plan;  she  had  sur 
mounted  the  worst  difficulties  by  the  very  audacity 
with  which  she  had  encountered  them ;  she  had 
faced,  it  may  be,  the  worst  dangers  awaiting  her, 
and  yet  a  few  words  dropped  from  the  mouth  of  a 
sickly  woman  had  sapped  her  courage,  left  her 
unnerved,  frightened,  without  knowing  why. 
She  gritted  her  teeth  and  moaned  aloud. 

S'ang  heard  her.  "Are  you  in  pain ? "  he  asked, 
coming  in. 

"Yes.     My  head  is  hurting  me." 

The  eunuch  disappeared  and  returned  again 
with  two  mulberry  leaves  steeped  in  vinegar;  he 
laid  them  on  her  temples.  "It  will  cure  the  pain," 
he  said.  She  heard  him  later  in  the  middle  hall, 
reading  or  reciting  in  a  low  voice.  The  monoto 
nous  sound  had  a  quieting  effect  on  her.  She  fell 
into  a  half  doze,  during  which  she  was  vaguely 
conscious  of  trying  to  hear  what  he  was  saying. 
From  this  uneasy  sleep  she  soon  awakened  to  be 


IO2          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

tormented  again  with  the  knowledge  of  Fen-Sha's 
fate.  She  tried  to  picture  what  life  would  be 
without  him,  haunted  as  she  would  be  with  the 
remembrance  of  his  terrible  death.  The  blood 
mounted  into  her  cheeks,  she  pressed  her  hands 
over  her  eyes  as  if  to  shut  out  the  picture,  then 
another  came  to  her,  a  picture  of  herself,  living 
out  long  dreary  years  behind  the  palace  walls,  the 
slave  of  a  capricious  old  woman  and  perhaps — 
she  clinched  her  teeth  again — of  a  dissolute  young 
man.  "Never  that,  never  that,"  she  whispered 
hoarsely.  She  buried  her  head  in  her  outstretched 
arms  and  fell  to  weeping  bitterly. 

S'ang's  voice  roused  her. 

' '  You  are  unhappy, ' '  he  said.  ' '  I  know  nothing 
of  your  sorrows,  but  I  know  the  means  wherewith 
you  can  dispel  them  like  clouds  before  the  wind." 

A-lu-te  turned  towards  him  with  eager,  ques 
tioning  gaze. 

Silently  the  eunuch  held  out  a  small  book. 

"Oh,  that!"  said  A-lu-te  contemptuously;  "I 
have  tried  it — it  is  worthless." 

She  thought  he  had  a  copy  of  the  Imperial 
Almanac,  which  is  published  yearly  under  the 
authority  of  the  Astronomical  Board,  and  contains 
lists  of  the  lucky  and  unlucky  days. 

"Read,"  said  S'ang  still  holding  out  the  book. 

Her  eyes  rested  carelessly  on  the  cover.  She 
read  aloud,  "The  Gospel  of  St.  John." 

"It  is  not  the  almanac  then.  What  is  this  St. 
John?"  she  asked. 


The  Perils  in  the  Palace  103 

"He  was  the  loved  disciple  of  our  Lord,"  replied 
the  eunuch. 

' '  Of  Sakya-muni  Buddha  ?  I  do  not  know  him, ' ' 
she  said  indifferently. 

"Nay,  nay,  not  of  Buddha;  but  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ." 

"Ah,  now  I  recall  hearing  that  name;  he  is  the 
idol  worshipped  by  the  foreigners." 

"He  is  not  an  idol.  He  is  our  Lord,"  returned 
S'ang. 

A-lu-te  leaned  forward  and  regarded  the  eunuch 
intently. 

"S'ang,"  she  said  in  a  low  voice,  "are  you  a 
worshipper  of  this  God  of  the  foreigners?" 

"Yes,  lady,"  he  replied  simply. 

"And  you  dare  admit  it!  You  dare  offer 
prayers  to  the  strange  God,  here,  in  the  very 
Palace  of  the  Empress  Dowager  ?  Profound  would 
be  your  sleep  tonight  if  I  were  to  tell  her!" 

"You  will  not  tell  her,"  he  replied  quietly. 

"Why  not?" 

"Because  you  are  different  from  those  who  are 
here  and  you  do  not  hate  the  foreigners."  A  sud 
den  fear  of  him  came  over  A-lu-te.  Did  this  eunuch 
know  more  of  her  than  the  others? 

"What  cause  have  you  for  thinking  I  do  not 
hate  them?"  she  asked,  trying  to  keep  the  fear 
from  her  voice. 

"You  call  them  foreigners  and  not  devils  and 
barbarians." 

"You  are  right,  I  do  not  hate  them.     I  have 


IO4          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

indeed  cause  to  be  grateful  to  them."  In  her 
relief  she  admitted  more  than  she  had  intended. 
But  S'ang  noticed  the  admission  only  to  reply, 
"And  I,"  with  such  fervour,  A-lu-te  was  moved 
to  ask  what  benefits  he  had  received  from  the 
foreigners. 

"They  taught  me  to  know  and  love  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ." 

' '  Oh,  that ! ' '  said  the  girl  shrugging  her  shoulders. 

"I  was  unhappy  even  as  you  are,"  continued 
the  eunuch,  "I  was  as  one  groping  in  a  black  pit, 
without  hope,  without  a  morrow.  Disgust  and 
weariness  were  my  companions  throughout  the 
day  and  lay  down  with  me  when  I  sought  my  bed 
at  night.  Then  I  was  led  from  the  blackness  of 
the  pit  into  the  bright  sunlight,  into  the  pure  air; 
joy  came  to  me  and  peace.  These,  too,  can  be 
yours,  if  you  will  learn  to  know,  to  believe  in  the 
Lord  Jesus." 

"Your  God  is  powerless  to  help  me,"  said  A-lu-te 
gloomily,  and  added:  "Leave  me  now;  I  have  need 
of  rest." 

He  turned  to  go  when  she  called  sharply  to  him. 
He  came  back,  standing  quietly  before  her. 

"This  God  of  yours,  does  he  help  those  who  ask 
it  of  him?" 

"Yes,  if  they  believe  in  Him." 

"Do  you  believe?" 

"As  truly  as  that  I  am  now  alive,  standing  in 
this  room  in  your  presence;"  he  spoke  the  words 
slowly  with  deep  solemnity. 


The  Perils  in  the  Palace  105 

"Have  you  ever  wanted  anything  so  much  you 
would  give  your  life  to  obtain  it?"  she  asked. 

"Yes." 

"Well,  and  have  you  asked  your  God  to  give  it 
to  you?" 

"Yes,  I  ask  Him  every  morning  when  I  wake 
and  every  night  before  I  sleep." 

"Then  it  appears  this  God  of  yours  won't  help 
you  after  all,  since  you  must  needs  ask  him  day 
after  day  and  night  after  night;  your  God  is  no 
better,  no  more  merciful,  no  more  powerful  than 
any  other  god,  than  Buddha  for  instance,  before 
whom  I  have  prostrated  myself  so  many  times  in 
prayer  I  have  fainted  from  fatigue,  and  all  without 
avail." 

She  spoke  bitterly. 

' '  I  have  faith  that  my  prayers  will  be  answered. 
I  am  content  to  wait." 

The  eunuch  gazed  out  of  the  window  on  the 
temple-crowned  hills  in  the  distance.  His  lips 
moved,  though  no  sound  fell  from  them. 

"You  are  praying,"  said  A-lu-te,  watching  him 
curiously.  "What  are  you  asking  this  God  of  the 
foreigners?" 

For  a  moment  the  eunuch  looked  troubled  and 
hesitated. 

"I  cannot  tell  you,"  he  said. 

"You  mean,  you  will  not,"  returned  A-lu-te 
haughtily.  ' '  Stop  and  consider.  Do  I  not  already 
hold  your  life  in  the  palm  of  my  hand?  I  have 
only  to  tell  Lao  Fo  Yeh  that  you  pray  to  the 


io6          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

foreign  God  and  you  know  well  what  will  happen. 
Now  listen  to  me.  I  am  in  great  trouble.  I  will 
prostrate  myself  before  this  foreign  God  and  pray 
to  him,  if  you  can  convince  me  that  he  is  powerful 
enough  to  help  me." 

"I  will  try  to  convince  you." 

"But  how  can  I  know  that  you  are  not  deceiving 
me  if  later  you  come  to  me  declaring  your  petition 
has  been  granted,  since  you  refuse  to  tell  me  what 
that  petition  is?" 

The  eunuch  looked  earnestly  at  A-lu-te,  then,  as 
if  possessed  of  a  sudden  resolve,  said :  ' '  My  peti 
tions  are  for  the  Emperor.  My  prayers  are  that  he 
may  be  taught  the  true  faith,  the  Christian  faith." 

"What!"  exclaimed  A-lu-te,  surprised  for  a 
moment  into  forgetting  her  troubles.  "You  pray 
for  a  thing  like  that!  What  foolishness  to  waste 
breath  in  such  prayers!  Moreover  who  would 
have  the  presumption  to  try  and  induce  the  Lord 
of  Ten  Thousand  Years  to  forswear  the  religion 
of  his  Ancestors?" 

"I,"  replied  the  eunuch.  His  eyes  flashed  with 
a  strange  light ;  on  his  pale,  thin  face  was  depicted 
an  ecstacy  of  hope. 

A-lu-te  looked  at  him  in  amazement.     "You!" 

"Yes,  even  I." 

"But  you  are  not  of  his  household.  You  can 
never  approach  him,  much  less  can  you  seek  per 
mission  to  address  him,"  she  reminded  him. 

"God  will  help  me.  He  will  find  a  way."  He 
spoke  with  the  conviction  of  perfect  faith. 


The  Perils  in  the  Palace  107 

"Yes — when  the  Yellow  River  runs  dry.  You 
are  aiming  at  the  impossible,"  said  A-lu-te  with 
an  accent  of  impatience.  It  seemed  to  her  that 
the  eunuch's  prayers  and  belief  were  not  only 
useless  but  essentially  paltry;  that  they  did  not 
deserve  time  for  speculation  or  discussion. 

"To  those  who  have  faith  nothing  is  impos 
sible,"  replied  S'ang.  He  pointed  out  of  the 
window  to  a  stone  wall  surrounding  the  court. 
"Do  you  see  that  tender  green  plant  which  has 
forced  a  passage  through  the  thick  wall  yonder? 
And  the  other  one  which  has  made  its  way,  while 
still  a  feeble  small  shoot,  to  this  side  and  has  grown 
so  large  and  strong  it  has  split  great  stones  apart  ? 
Have  not  those  little  plants  achieved  the  impos 
sible?  And  why  should  not  I  ?" 

"Or  I!"  murmured  A-lu-te  to  herself,  then  fell 
to  studying  S'ang's  face.  What  had  taken  place 
in  the  mind  and  heart  of  this  eunuch  to  make  him 
so  different  from  others  of  his  despised  breed? 

As  if  in  answer  to  her  unspoken  thought,  S'ang 
said: 

"Do  you  desire  that  I  speak  to  you  of  myself?" 

"I  am  listening,"  replied  A-lu-te. 


CHAPTER  IX 


THE  EUNUCH'S  STORY 


"I  WAS  born  in  the  province  of  Pechili,"  began 
the  eunuch,  "in  the  village  of  Makian,  two  hund 
red  Us  north  of  Peking.  My  father  was  a  rich 
man.  He  owned  camels  by  the  score ;  these,  laden 
with  tea  and  merchandise,  journeyed  periodically 
beyond  the  Great  Wall,  in  charge  of  his  servants. 
The  cargo  was  sold  at  large  profits  and  on  its 
return  the  caravan  carried  coal  from  Mongolia 
to  be  disposed  of  in  the  Peking  market.  The 
business  flourished  and  yearly  grew  more  lucra 
tive.  My  father  had  two  wives,  but  my  mother 
was  the  legitimate  consort.  She  died  the  third 
year  after  my  birth.  I  was  six  when  my  father 
took  to  his  house  another  woman.  She  came 
from  the  south  and  belonged  to  one  of  the  nine 
classes  of  professional  women  of  evil  renown. 
She  was  a  dancer.  Her  beauty  was  great,  she 
was  in  fact  the  eye  of  the  peacock.  It  was  said 
of  her  she  could  dance  her  way  into  any  man's 
heart  and  that  none  were  so  rich  but  that  she 
could  spend  what  they  had  and  make  them  poor. 
What  truth  there  was  in  these  reports  which  came 

108 


The  Eunuch's  Story  109 

to  my  childish  ears,  I  know  not,  I  only  know  that 
from  the  day  she  entered  my  father's  abode, 
peace  fled  out  of  the  door.  You  know  the  pro 
verb:  'One  key  makes  no  noise,  but  two  keys 
create  a  jingle. '  The  women  quarrelled,  there 
was  jealousy  and  backbiting,  and  the  house  be 
came  a  pandemonium,  so  that  in  the  village  there 
was  a  saying,  'as  noisy  as  the  house  of  Tang.' 
The  new  concubine  was  a  violent-tempered  woman; 
she  often  caused  my  father  to  eat  bitterness — a 
bitterness  like  that  of  aloe- juice — yet  her  influ 
ence  over  him  was  great,  and  when  she  bore  him  a 
son  it  became  supreme.  One  year — I  was  fifteen 
at  the  time — a  sickness  common  in  the  north 
beyond  the  Wall  struck  the  camels  and  one  after 
another  they  died.  That  same  year  a  great  drought 
visited  the  land  and  our  crops  were  killed.  Dis 
aster  after  disaster  fell  upon  us,  till  a  time  came 
when  we  were  no  longer  the  rich  family  of  the 
village,  but  the  poorest.  One  day  my  aunt — the 
concubine  of  the  south — saw  me  eat  a  millet  cake 
she  had  laid  aside  for  her  own  son.  She  com 
plained  of  me  to  my  father  and  represented  to  him 
that  I  was  an  idle,  worthless  fellow,  a  mere  tortoise- 
egg,  that  I  would  never  amount  to  much,  and  that 
the  best  thing  which  could  happen  to  me  and  to 
the  family  was  to  sell  me  to  Huang- ti.  On  hearing 
her  speak  in  this  manner,  I  was  terribly  frightened 
for  I  felt  convinced  she  would  succeed  in  persuad 
ing  my  father  to  do  as  she  wished.  Huang-ti 
lived  in  a  neighbouring  village  and  did  a  thriving 


no          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

business  supplying  rich  mandarins,  dukes,  and 
princes  of  the  blood  in  Peking  with  eunuchs. 

"I  implored  my  father  not  to  sell  me  to  this 
man,  for  I  did  not  want  to  become  a  eunuch,  and 
he  not  being  a  hard-hearted  parent  was  disposed 
to  yield  to  my  entreaties.  But  my  aunt,  who 
possessed  a  volubility  of  tongue  truly  alarming, 
reproached  him  with  loud  cries  and  lamentations 
for  not  considering  the  welfare  of  the  other  mem 
bers  of  his  family,  and  leaving  them  to  suffer  in 
poverty  when  by  selling  me  to  Huang-ti  he  not 
only  provided  me  with  a  career  which  might  bring 
me  eventually  into  the  Yellow  City  and  so  to  large 
emoluments,  if  I  had  wit  enough  to  procure  them, 
but  also  enabled  me  to  return  to  my  father  the 
benefits  he  had  already  bestowed  upon  me.  My 
father,  weary  of  contending  with  her,  and  it  may 
be  seeing  sense  and  reason  in  her  demand,  yielded. 
I  wept  bitterly,  but  my  father  was  obdurate. 
He  told  me  to  remember  the  great  lesson  taught  in 
the  Trimetrical  Classic  which  imposes  absolute 
obedience  upon  the  child  to  his  parent. 

"And  so  I  left  the  family." 

After  a  moment's  silence  the  eunuch  continued. 

"Huang-ti  entered  me  in  the  service  of  a  Man- 
chu  prince.  I  was  in  the  household  five  years  and 
became  the  confidential  adviser,  even  instigator 
of  every  kind  of  wild  escapade,  to  the  seventeen- 
year-old  son  of  the  prince.  One  day,  the  princess, 
desiring  to  make  a  pilgrimage  to  a  Buddhist  mon 
astery,  commanded  me  to  precede  her  in  charge 


The  Eunuch's  Story  in 

of  the  scrolls,  the  silk  embroidered  hangings,  the 
mirrors  and  rich  cloisonne  vases  which  were  to 
be  used  to  decorate  the  bare  guests'  house  the 
priests  assign  to  visitors.  Now  I  had  assisted 
the  young  prince  in  an  intrigue  with  the  wife  of 
a  petty  shopkeeper.  She  bore  him  a  girl-child, 
and  he  not  caring  to  be  bothered  with  the  little 
one,  had  her  passed  under  the  bridge"  (drowned). 
1 '  I  was  present  when  this  was  done  and  heard  the 
frightened  wail  of  the  infant  as  she  was  dropped 
into  the  well,  and  saw  the  small  arms  stretched 
feebly  up  for  help,  as  the  water  swallowed  her. 
I  had  seen  and  shared  in  much  wickedness,  of 
which  this  act  was  not  the  worst,  for  such  drown 
ing  of  girl  infants  is  not  contrary  to  established 
usage  as  you  know.  But  the  memory  of  this 
deed  stayed  by  me  night  and  day ;  the  cry  haunted 
me,  the  baby  arms  pursued  me,  and  I  finally 
determined  to  consult  a  wise  man  to  rid  me  of  the 
obsession.  Now  in  passing  through  the  village 
of  Yang-lin,  on  my  way  to  the  monastery,  I  heard 
of  a  geomancer,  residing  there,  one  very  learned  in 
his  craft.  I  stopped  to  see  him,  but  he  had  been 
called  away  by  a  wealthy  tax-gatherer  to  a  distant 
village.  As  I  sat  before  his  closed  house,  very 
dejected,  I  noticed  across  the  street,  over  the 
door  of  a  miserable  hut,  a  sign,  which  read :  '  Pu- 
lun,  little  assistant  to  Jesus.'  Not  knowing  what 
it  meant  and  being  curious,  I  knocked  at  this  door. 
A  benevolent  looking  old  man  appeared  in  answer 
to  my  summons. 


112          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

'"Are  you  Pu-lun?'  I  inquired. 

He  replied  that  he  was  indeed  the  man. 

"'Then/  continued  I,  not  knowing  what  else  to 
say  at  the  moment,  'you  are  the  little  assistant 
of  Jesus. ' 

"With  a  joyous  expression  he  said:  'You  have 
spoken  truth.  Come  in.  Come  in. ' 

' '  I  followed  him  into  a  room  which,  though  small 
and  meanly  furnished,  was  clean. 

"'Do  you,  too,  love  Jesus?'  he  asked. 

"'Old  man/  I  said,  'what  are  you  talking 
about?  I  never  saw  or  heard  of  this  Jesus.  How 
then  should  I  love  him?  Is  he  your  master? 
And  what  is  his  trade?' 

"'He  is  my  Master,  and  His  trade  is  teaching 
love. ' 

"'Ho-ho, '  said  I,  laughing,  'that  is  a  pretty 
name  for  the  business  you  follow.  In  the  city 
we  call  it ' 

"'Wait,'  commanded  the  old  man,  holding 
up  his  hand,  'wait  till  you  hear  what  I  have  to 
say.  The  love  which  the  Master  enjoins  upon  us 
is  love  for  all  mankind,  the  love  which  teaches 
kindness,  purity,  forgiveness,  which  returns  good 
for  evil.  He  who  loves  like  this,  becomes  a  child 
of  God,  his  sins  are  forgiven  him;  he  finds  peace 
in  life  and  eternal  joy  in  life  after  death. ' 

"I  thought  to  myself  that  this  kind  of  teaching 
was  worth  looking  into;  that  although  it  seemed 
impractical,  it  might  rid  me  of  my  obsession.  I 
asked  Pu-lun  to  become  my  instructor.  He  con- 


The  Eunuch's  Story  113 

sented  with  eagerness,  and  I  agreed  to  return  at 
a  certain  hour  every  week  to  receive  his  lessons. 
This  I  did,  until  the  time  came  when  the  prince, 
in  accordance  with  the  law  which  compels  rich 
nobles  to  supply  the  Imperial  Palace  periodically 
with  one  eunuch,  sent  me  here.  My  visits  to 
Pu-lun  ceased,  but  the  joy  and  the  wonder  of  that 
which  he  taught  me  will  abide  with  me  through  life. " 

The  eunuch's  narrative  had  made  a  profound 
impression  upon  A-lu-te. 

"What  did  this  Pu-lun  teach  you?"  she  asked. 

In  earnest,  simple  words  S'ang  told  her  the 
story  of  Christ  as  he  himself  had  received  it  from 
the  lips  of  Pu-lun. 

"So  this  is  the  religion  of  the  foreigner!"  ex 
claimed  A-lu-te  when  the  eunuch  ceased  speaking. 
"It  is  preposterous!  Is  that  a  good  father  who 
sends  his  dutiful  son  to  be  murdered  by  wicked  peo 
ple  in  order  that  they  and  others  as  wicked  should 
be  saved?  Is  that  justice?  Is  that  kindness?" 

"It  is  love — the  highest,  the  most  wonderful 
that  can  be  conceived,"  said  S'ang. 

"Well,  it  is  a  strange  love,"  retorted  A-lu-te. 
"As  for  the  teachings,  they  do  not  differ  greatly 
from  the  teachings  of  Buddha.  Does  he  not  tell 
us  not  to  do  evil  and  not  to  seek  after  riches? 
Truly  the  moral  precepts  of  the  God  of  the  for 
eigners  and  of  Buddha  are  the  same." 

"They  are  as  like  as  day  is  to  night,"  replied 
the  eunuch.  "The  religion  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  is  the  religion  of  Hope;  the  religion  of 


114          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

Buddha  is  the  religion  of  Despair.  Buddha  holds 
the  soul  of  no  account;  he  says:  'Eschew  evil 
and  in  time  you  will  cease  to  exist,  you  will  be 
lost  in  the  all-embracing  Quietus,  you  will  enter 
Nirvana — your  spirit  will  sink  into  nothingness.' 
Our  Master  teaches  us,  not  only  to  eschew  what 
is  evil,  but  to  do  that  which  is  good.  He  promises 
those  who  believe  in  Him,  who  follow  his  precepts, 
inexhaustible  happiness  and  life  everlasting. 
Listen  to  what  he  says." 

S'ang  opened  the  book  which  he  still  held  in 
his  hand  and  in  a  low  voice  began  to  read.  As 
A-lu-te  listened  she  told  herself  that  S'ang  was 
right,  that  there  was  something  wonderful  in 
the  promises  the  words  contained,  in  the  hope  they 
inspired  in  an  aching  human  heart.  When  he 
read:  "Ask  and  ye  shall  receive,"  she  repeated  the 
sentence  over  and  over  to  herself,  nor  did  she 
listen  any  more  to  S'ang's  voice. 

Suddenly  vague  shouts  reached  them  from  the 
distance.  The  shouts  came  nearer  and  nearer; 
they  were  the  cries  of  eunuchs  announcing  to  all 
the  Palace  world  that  "The  Great  Buddha  wakes 
up,  the  Great  Buddha  wakes  up." 

S'ang  slipped  the  book  up  his  sleeve,  as  a  eunuch 
rushed  into  the  room,  calling:  "Imperial  Decree 
says  that  Lady  Wang-ti  is  to  come  before  the 
Presence."  Reluctantly  A-lu-te  made  haste  to 
follow  him  to  the  pavilion  of  the  Empress  Dowager. 
She  wanted  to  pray  to  the  unknown  God  who  had 
said:  "Ask  and  ye  shall  receive." 


CHAPTER  X 

FAILURE 

A-LU-TE  found  the  Empress  Dowager  attired 
for  a  walk.  Instead  of  the  stilt-like  Manchu 
shoes  she  wore  on  ceremonial  occasions  and  in  the 
palace,  she  had  on  a  dainty  pair  of  low-heeled 
slippers.  The  heavy  Gu-un  Dzan  had  been  dis 
carded  and  her  dark  hair  was  coiled  high  in  a 
simple  knot,  ornamented  with  a  single  rose,  in 
place  of  the  jewels  she  had  worn  that  morning. 
Her  blue  silk  dress  was  short,  not  to  impede  her 
walking.  In  her  hand  she  carried  a  white  wand- 
like  stick.  She  was  accompanied  by  all  the  court 
ladies,  among  them  the  Lady  Chou-Chau.  A-lu-te 
threw  a  hasty  glance  in  her  direction,  and  noted 
that  Chou-Chau  was  smiling  with  timid  content 
ment. 

The  Empress  Dowager  called  out  gaily:  "I 
am  going  for  a  long  walk,  and  I  shall  eat  in  a  peony 
thicket  on  top  of  a  hill  where  the  view  is  beautiful. 
I  am  very  happy  today,  and  I.  want  everyone 
around  me  to  be  happy  too." 

The  procession  started,  the  Empress  Dowager 
leading,  the  court  ladies  following.  After  them 

«5 


n6          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

came  twenty  eunuchs  and  six  amahs,  bearing 
boxes  containing  dresses,  wraps,  shoes,  perfumes, 
water-pipes,  handkerchiefs,  looking-glasses  of  vari 
ous  sizes,  yellow  paper,  and  red  ink.  Any  one  of 
these  articles  Tzu  Hsi  might  require  during  the 
next  hour  or  two.  One  servant  was  detached 
from  the  procession.  He  walked  a  few  steps 
behind  and  to  one  side  of  his  royal  mistress,  hold 
ing  in  outstretched  hands  a  yellow  satin  stool 
for  her  to  rest  upon  when  tired.  The  procession 
was  closed  by  the  bearer  of  a  large  yellow  bag 
filled  with  bamboo  sticks  which  was  always  carried 
wherever  her  Majesty  went,  so  that  punishment 
could  be  promptly  administered  to  delinquent 
servants.  The  Empress  Dowager  ordered  A-lu-te 
to  walk  beside  her.  When  the  procession  was 
forming,  Chou-Chau  had  whispered  hurriedly  into 
A-lu-te's  ear:  "I  was  only  a  little  late;  she  was 
sleeping  and  no  one  noticed  me ;  they  were  talking 
about  you." 

Tzu  Hsi  had  keen  eyes  and  quick  ears. 

"What  did  that  woman  say  to  you  a  moment 
since?"  she  demanded.  They  were  following  the 
fine-wrought  white  marble  balustrading  which 
stretched  along  the  borders  of  the  lake. 

"She  said  she  had  forgotten  to  bring  a  wrap  and 
asked  if  S'ang  would  fetch  her  one." 

"She  need  not  take  such  excellent  care  of  her 
health.  Stupid  people  are  not  scarce  in  this  world, '  * 
remarked  Tzu  Hsi  caustically.  The  next  minute 
her  mood  changed.  She  plucked  a  flower  and 


Failure  117 

held  it  caressingly  to  her  cheek.  "The  heart  of 
summer  lies  in  it,"  she  said,  "how  gladsome  it  is, 
how  sweet!  Since  the  days  of  my  youth — which, 
alas,  passed  swiftly  as  an  arrow's  flight — my 
greatest  solace  has  been  the  contemplation  of 
nature.  I  have  commanded  to  be  engraved  on 
six  thicknesses  of  imperial  silk,  these  words  of 
mine:  'Study  the  beauties  of  nature — it  is  the 
road  which  leads  to  inward  freedom  and  serenity. '" 

She  stood  still;  her  dark  eyes  glowing  with 
tender  light  rested  alternately  on  the  silver-sheen 
of  the  lake,  on  the  distant  winding  streams,  the 
peony-covered  terraced  hillside  nestling  in  the 
shadow  of  the  rugged  Western  Hills  where 
the  yellow  upturned  temple-roofs  gleamed  in 
the  sunlight. 

Suddenly  she  threw  a  backward  glance  at  the 
procession  of  court  ladies  and  servants  and  broke 
into  a  gay  little  laugh.  ' '  See,  how  silly  they  look ! 
They  are  wondering  why  I  am  standing  here  star 
ing  into  space.  That  is  the  way  with  them;  they 
care  nothing  for  a  beautiful  view  and  cannot 
comprehend  any  one  who  does.  Even  Li  here, 
who  is  not  without  real  brains,  sees  in  nature  only 
ground  that  is  high  or  low,  wet  or  dry,  water 
that  is  smooth  or  rough,  deep  or  shallow,  skies 
that  are  bright  or  overcast,  trees  that  are  green 
or  not  according  to  the  season,  and  plants  with 
or  without  flowers.  Well,  you  can't  teach  sheep 
to  climb  trees,  or  make  poets  of  men  who  have 
no  ink  in  their  stomachs.  Am  I  right,  Li?" 


ii8          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

The  Chief  Eunuch,  who  had  approached  the 
instant  he  heard  his  name  mentioned,  replied : 

"I  should  be  lying  like  a  Nanking  bird-hawker 
if  I  said  no;  yet  I  am  not  destitute  of  poetic 
imagination." 

"Poetic  imagination!  You!  Prove  it!  Prove 
it!" 

"In  a  cup  of  wine  I  admire  the  blush  of  the 
young  peach.  Can  a  poet  do  more  except  to 
rhyme  what  I  put  in  prose?  And  perhaps  to 
drink  so  deep  of  the  blush  that  it  leaves  sooner 
the  cup  to  glow  triumphantly  at  the  end  of  his 
nose?"  retorted  Li,  with  a  broad  smile. 

Tzu  Hsi  laughed.  This  servant  possessed  the 
art  of  diverting  her.  It  was  one  of  the  reasons 
of  his  great  influence  over  her.  He  was  intelli 
gent,  witty,  and  when  in  her  presence,  invariably 
amiable.  His  manner  towards  A-lu-te  had  com 
pletely  changed;  he  treated  her  with  polite  defer 
ence,  showing  no  sign  of  the  fierce  passion  for 
revenge  which  gnawed  at  his  heart.  The  char 
acter  of  the  Chief  Eunuch  was  an  intricate  web, 
in  the  midst  of  which  his  mind  sat  like  a  hideous 
and  venomous  spider.  He  had  three  passions, 
greed,  revenge,  power.  He  had  one  virtue, 
loyalty  to  his  imperial  mistress. 

Tzu  Hsi  resumed  her  walk.  She  had  a  quick 
light  step  and  those  who  followed  had  much  ado 
to  keep  pace  with  her.  Finally  they  arrived  at 
that  part  of  the  lake  where  Tzu  Hsi  had  elected 
to  take  the  imperial  boats.  Two  of  these  boats 


Failure  119 

resembled  magnificent  pagodas  floating  on  the 
water.  The  Chief  Eunuch  assisted  her  Majesty 
to  embark.  A-lu-te  was  told  to  follow,  while 
the  court  ladies  entered  the  second  boat.  The 
imperial  float  was  attached  by  yellow  ropes  to 
three  large  rowboats  manned  by  seventy-two 
rowers,  who  stood  to  their  oars  as  they  plied  them 
in  unison. 

Tzu  Hsi  seated  herself  on  a  yellow-cushioned 
chair  and  invited  A-lu-te  to  occupy  the  red  cushion 
at  her  feet.  The  day  was  singularly  beautiful; 
the  lake  smooth  and  crystal  clear,  except  where 
here  and  there  thick  clusters  of  lotus-flowers 
rested  on  the  water  like  small  pink  islands.  As 
the  little  fleet  receded  from  the  marble-terraced 
banks,  two  eunuchs,  standing  in  the  bow  of  the 
Empress  Dowager's  boat,  began  to  sing.  Their 
voices,  musical,  clear,  and  sweet,  mingled  with  the 
soft  sound  of  the  water  stirred  by  the  oars  of  the 
rowers. 

Presently  the  Empress  Dowager  raised  her 
hand. 

"Stop,"  she  commanded,  "your  song  makes 
me  sad.  I  am  growing  old  and  cannot  afford  to 
indulge  in  that  feeling.  In  the  afternoon  of  life 
one  should  beware  lest  one  forgets  how  to  laugh 
and  be  happy.  Let  a  story  be  read." 

She  had  scarcely  given  the  order  when  she  turned 
to  A-lu-te. 

"Wang-ti,  you  shall  tell  me  a  story,  but  let  it 
not  be  sad." 


120          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

"Your  handmaiden  will  relate  a  tale  from  Liao 
Chai  Chih,  if  your  illustrious  Majesty  permits," 
replied  A-lu-te  and  receiving  permission  she  began : 

"An  old  woman  past  seventy  lived  in  Chao 
Ch'eng.  She  was  a  widow  and  had  one  son  who 
was  her  sole  support.  One  day  he  went  into  the 
forest  to  chop  wood  and  was  eaten  by  a  tiger. 
The  old  woman  prepared  to  commit  suicide  for 
how  could  she  live  with  no  one  to  bring  her  food 
or  to  care  for  her?  However,  in  thinking  the 
matter  over,  she  determined  to  go  to  the  magistrate 
instead.  Weeping  and  lamenting  she  told  him 
her  sad  plight  and  begged  him  to  have  the  tiger 
arrested. 

[  'Ha-ha,'  laughed  the  magistrate,  'who  ever 
heard  of  bringing  a  tiger  to  the  Yamen ! '  The  old 
woman  continued  her  lamentations  and  hopping 
up  and  down  before  the  magistrate,  besought  him 
to  do  as  she  asked." 

A-lu-te  imitated  the  shrill  cries  and  lamenta 
tions  of  the  old  woman  and  jumped  up  and  dowrn 
in  so  ludicrous  a  manner  that  the  Empress  Dow 
ager  was  highly  entertained. 

"The  magistrate,  disliking  so  much  noise  and 
clamour,  and  in  order  to  be  rid  of  her,  pretended 
to  accede  to  her  request.  But  the  old  woman 
sank  on  her  knees  and  refused  to  move  until  the 
warrant  of  arrest  was  issued.  Finally  the  war 
rant  was  duly  drawn  up  and  the  magistrate  asked 
his  police  officers  which  one  would  serve  it. 
Among  the  lictors  was  a  certain  Li-heng.  He 


Failure  121 

had  spent  the  previous  night  carousing  in  a  tavern 
and  his  head  was  heavy  and  his  mind  not  clear. 
The  others  knowing  this  pushed  him  forward 
and  he  was  made  to  consent.  Now  when  Li 
recovered  from  the  effects  of  his  carousal  and 
discovered  what  he  had  promised,  he  was  horri 
fied.  But  he  quickly  consoled  himself  with  the 
thought  that  the  magistrate  would  not  compel 
him  to  serve  such  a  silly  summons.  After  two 
days  the  magistrate,  who  had  again  been  plagued 
by  the  old  woman,  sent  for  him,  had  him  flogged 
for  his  dilatoriness  and  ordered  him  to  go  forth 
immediately  and  serve  the  summons.  With  fear 
ful  heart  and  trembling  greatly  Li  went  into  the 
forest  to  seek  the  tiger.  But  he  did  not  find  him. 
He  then  went  to  the  temple  of  a  local  divinity 
whose  shrine  lay  to  the  east  of  the  city.  He  knelt 
before  the  image  and  prayed  for  help.  As  he 
rose  to  leave  the  temple,  a  tiger  entered  the  door. 
Li-heng  was  terribly  frightened;  he  expected  to 
be  eaten.  But  the  beast  remained  motionless, 
his  head  bowed  to  the  ground.  Seeing  him  so 
quiet,  Li  gathered  courage  and  said : 

"  'Did  you  kill  the  old  woman's  son?' 

"The  creature  raised  his  head  and  roared  ad 
mission  of  his  guilt." 

Here  A-lu-te  tried  to  imitate  a  tiger's  roar  and 
succeeded  in  making  a  sound  not  unlike  an  angry 
kitten,  which  caused  the  Empress  Dowager  to 
laugh  consumedly. 

A-lu-te  continued  her  narrative. 


122          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

'  'As  you  have  admitted  your  guilt,'  said  Li- 
heng,  'I  must  place  the  chain  around  your  neck 
and  take  you  to  the  office  of  the  magistrate. '  This 
he  proceeded  to  do.  The  magistrate  being  in 
formed  of  his  arrival,  sent  for  the  old  woman. 
Then  he  questioned  the  tiger:  'Did  you  kill  the 
son  of  this  old  woman?'  he  asked.  The  animal 
bowed  his  head. 

"  'Murder  is  a  capital  offence,'  said  the  magis 
trate,  'and  in  your  case  an  unusually  heinous 
one,  for  this  old  woman  was  entirely  dependent 
on  her  son.  But  I  will  let  you  go  free  on  condition 
that  you  support  her  for  the  remainder  of  her 
natural  life.'  Again  the  tiger  bowed  his  head 
humbly.  The  chains  were  removed  and  he  trotted 
off.  The  old  woman,  however,  was  very  indignant 
because  he  was  not  put  to  death;  'great  folks,  may 
set  the  town  in  a  blaze;  common  folks  mustn't 
even  light  a  lantern,'  she  muttered  angrily  as 
she  hobbled  off.  But  the  next  morning  she  found 
a  dead  deer  lying  before  the  door  of  her  cottage. 
She  sold  the  hide  and  venison  and  supplied  her 
needs  with  the  money  she  obtained.  Every 
morning  the  tiger  brought  venison  to  the  cottage 
and  frequently  other  choice  food.  The  old  woman 
waxed  rich,  for  the  tiger  supported  her  better 
than  her  son  had  been  able  to  do.  He  often  came 
and  lay  under  the  eaves  of  the  cottage,  and  the 
old  woman  would  pat  and  caress  him,  for  she  had 
become  fond  of  the  beast.  When  she  finally  died 
the  tiger  came  to  the  cottage  door,  pushed  it  open 


Failure  123 

with  his  paw,  and  howled  forth  his  grief.  He 
appeared  again  at  the  grave,  leaping  in  among 
the  mourners,  and  roared  like  thunder." 

A-lu-te  illustrated  the  roaring  with  much  vigor. 
The  Empress  Dowager  shook  with  laughter: 
"Excellent,  excellent!"  she  cried.  "I  have  heard 
the  late  Emperor's  sleeve-dog  make  quite  as  fierce 
a  noise!  What  became  of  Sir  Tiger ?" 

"Having  thus  loudly  proclaimed  his  sorrow  at 
the  old  woman's  death,  he  walked  away  weeping 
and  was  never  seen  again.  The  people  of  Chao- 
Ch'eng  however  erected  a  shrine  outside  the  west 
gate  to  commemorate  his  devotion." 

The  Empress  Dowager  was  in  the  best  of  hum 
ours  when  she  left  the  pagoda  boat  to  be  carried 
in  her  chair  to  the  summit  of  the  peony-hill  which 
commanded  a  lovely  view  of  the  palace  grounds 
and  the  surrounding  country.  In  a  rustic  summer 
house  she  sipped  tea  from  a  white  jade  cup  on  a 
golden  saucer,  presented  by  a  kneeling  eunuch, 
while  a  second  eunuch  held  a  gold  tray  containing 
blossoms  of  honeysuckle  and  orange  flowers  with 
which  she  loved  to  flavour  her  tea.  By  royal 
command  A-lu-te  was  given  of  this  special  brew. 
The  court  ladies  remained  outside  the  summer 
house  where  their  own  eunuchs  prepared  tea  for 
them  of  a  quality  less  fine. 

"Wang-ti,"  said  the  Empress  Dowager,  "I 
find  pleasure  in  your  company;  you  are  merry 
and  are  not  stupid.  I  will  see  whether  the  day 
you  came  to  the  palace  is  not  a  most  auspicious 


124          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

one.  Have  the  book  read,"  she  said  turning  to 
Li,  "  and  bring  the  answer  to  me  here  immediately. ' ' 

With  an  inscrutable  look  upon  his  face,  the 
Chief  Eunuch  went  to  do  her  bidding.  No  sooner 
had  he  gone  than  A-lu-te,  buoyed  by  a  hope  ren 
dered  overconfident  because  of  the  favourable 
impression  she  had  made  and  because  the  "Great 
Old  Buddha"  did  in  sooth  look  that  day  like  the 
"Benign  Mother"  her  people  affectionately  called 
her,  determined  to  try  and  obtain  by  frank  and 
open-hearted  appeal  that  which  she  had  thought 
only  to  obtain  by  stratagem  and  fraud.  She 
threw  herself  suddenly  at  the  feet  of  the  Empress 
Dowager  and  knocked  her  head  repeatedly  on  the 
ground. 

"Tut,  tut,  girl,  you  needn't  break  your  head 
thanking  me  for  the  tea.  Get  up." 

"Grant,  Old  Ancestor,  the  prayer  of  your  hand 
maiden,"  said  A-lu-te,  her  voice  quivering  with 
fear  of  failure,  and  hope  of  success.  She  was 
risking  all  at  one  stroke.  If  she  failed,  Fen-Sha's 
fate  was  irrevocably  sealed.  That  she  was  immi 
nently  endangering  her  own  life  she  knew  well,  but 
to  this  she  had  become  accustomed.  Had  she 
not  risked  her  life  many  times  over  from  the 
moment  she  set  foot  in  the  Summer  Palace,  and 
even  earlier  in  Peking,  where  she  posed  as  the 
niece — dead  these  two  years  or  more — of  the 
Lady  Yin? 

"What  is  it  you  want?"  asked  the  Empress 
Dowager  with  a  smile.  She  had  a  charming 


Failure  125 

smile  of  great  sweetness.  "Is  it  a  new  gown  for 
the  summer  more  handsome  than  any  at  Court 
save  mine?  Or  jewels?  For  in  sooth  you  seem 
to  have  none.  Shall  it  be  pearl  earrings,  or  a 
bracelet  of  green  jade  from  Khoten?  Speak, 
perhaps  it  will  pleasure  me  to  grant  your  prayer." 

A-lu-te  clasped  her  hands  in  supplication.     "It 
is  not  gowns  or  jewels  your  slave  desires,  it  is — 
her    voice    faltered    an    instant,    then    she    went 
bravely  on,  "it  is  the  life  of  one  who,  innocent  of 
crime,  is  doomed  to  die." 

Tzu  Hsi  frowned.  At  this  moment  the  Chief 
Eunuch  entered,  silent-footed,  unobserved.  When 
he  saw  A-lu-te  on  the  ground  in  the  attitude  of 
one  kowtowing,  not  in  deference  or  gratitude,  but 
as  one  beseeching,  he  stopped  to  listen.  A  look 
of  intense  satisfaction  came  into  his  face,  as  he 
heard  her  low-spoken  words.  He  was  a  clever 
man  and  an  exceedingly  cunning  one.  The 
reason  of  the  astounding  temerity  the  girl  dis 
played  that  morning  when  she  defied  his  authority 
to  eject  her  from  the  Palace  was  clear  to  him  now. 
She  hoped  to  save  the  life  of  someone  dear  to  her. 
Who  was  it?  Not  her  father,  for  Li  knew  well 
that  the  brother-in-law  of  Lord  Yin  was  not 
threatened  with  danger  from  the  wrath  of  the 
Throne,  nor  yet  any  of  his  family.  Had  the  girl 
a  lover?  Yes!  That  was  it!  What  audacity  to 
present  herself  as  eligible  to  enter  the  harem  of 
the  Solitary  One !  She  herself  had  now  given  him 
the  rope  with  which  to  hang  her.  Well,  he  would 


126          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

use  it,  and  quickly,  and  the  knot  around  her  throat 
he  would  tie  exceeding  tight.  He  looked  at  her 
with  a  mocking  smile. 

Softly  approaching  the  Empress  Dowager  he 
whispered  in  her  ear:  "It  appears,  Old  Buddha, 
that  now  we  have  the  true  reason  why  this  young 
lady  so  ardently  desired  to  grace  the  court  with 
her  presence." 

The  frown  on  Tzu  Hsi's  face  deepened.  She 
did  not  reply  to  the  eunuch,  but  his  words  made 
the  impression  he  desired  on  her  mind.  Her 
anger  grew  against  this  girl  whose  apparent  hap 
piness  and  gaiety  had  ozonized  the  stale  atmos 
phere  of  her  court.  Was  it  true  that  this  lovely 
young  creature  had  sought  to  remain  in  the  Palace 
for  reasons  other  than  the  honour  and  joy  of  be 
ing  near  the  Presence?  Tzu  Hsi's  vanity  was 
wounded.  Her  voice  was  harsh  when  she  spoke 
again:  "What  nonsense  is  this?  What  have  you 
to  do  with  the  decrees  of  my  law  courts?  If  one 
of  my  subjects  is  condemned  to  die,  be  assured 
of  the  fact  that  he  deserves  his  fate  and  that  it  ill 
becomes  an  ignorant  girl  like  you  to  question 
the  justice  or  plead  the  cause  of  such  a  one.  More 
over  know  that  I  allow  no  one  other  than  officials, 
or  those  summoned  by  me  for  the  purpose,  to 
broach  questions  of  state  or  law." 

Too  late  A-lu-te  realized  her  mistake.  It 
seemed  to  her  that  a  grave  had  opened  at  her 
feet,  a  grave  of  her  own  digging,  into  which  she 
had  plunged  Fen-Sha  and  into  which  she  herself 


Failure  127 

was  falling.  Again  the  Empress  Dowager  spoke. 
Her  voice  was,  if  possible,  more  imperious,  more 
harsh  than  before. 

"Who  is  this  man  for  whose  life  you  have  the 
presumption  to  plead  ? ' ' 

There  are  some  natures  who  from  an  overpower 
ing  consciousness  that  their  opponent  is  more 
powerful,  stronger  than  they,  become  crushed, 
spiritless,  frightened.  A-lu-te's  nature  was  not 
one  of  these.  Love  made  her  strong.  Her  mind 
worked  with  lightning  rapidity.  Only  quick 
thought,  ready  wit  could  save  her  now. 

' '  Old  Ancestor,  it  is  not  a  man  your  slave  pleads 
for — it  is  her  dog." 

The  Empress  Dowager  stared  a  moment  in 
blank  amazement — then  broke  into  a  silvery  peal 
of  laughter.  "Your  dog!"  she  cried.  "Well, 
and  why  must  your  dog  die?  Has  he  snapped  at 
the  official  legs  of  one  of  my  magistrates  ?  Is  that 
it?" 

"No,  your  Majesty.  It  is  that  he  is  far  from 
his  mistress,  your  handmaiden,  and  will  die 
sorrowing  for  her." 

"That  is  not  the  habit  of  animals,  whether  man 
or  dog,"  replied  Tzu  Hsi  emphatically.  "In  the 
Palace  I  permit  only  my  own  special  breed  of 
dogs.  I  will  give  you  Cha's  brother;  his  hair  is 
not  as  long  and  silky  as  Cha's,  but  for  all  that  he 
is  a  handsome  creature." 

A-lu-te  drew  a  deep  breath.  For  the  moment 
at  least,  the  danger  was  past.  She  kowtowed 


128          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

again,  this  time  to  express  gratitude  for  the  gift 
she  was  to  receive.  Then  she  rose  staggering  to 
her  feet.  Her  escape  had  been  narrow;  the  strain 
of  it  left  her  weak.  She  was  conscious  that  the 
Chief  Eunuch  was  watching  her  closely.  She  felt 
instinctively  that  he  at  least  had  not  been  deceived 
by  her  answer. 

A  breeze  had  sprung  up.  The  blossoms  on  the 
mimosa  trees  moved  gently  to  and  fro  like  dainty 
pink  birds  swaying  on  the  branches.  Far  below, 
silvery  ripples  ruffled  the  smooth  surface  of  the 
lake,  the  lotus-flowers  nodded  their  fragrant  little 
heads. 

"How  beautiful  it  is,"  sighed  the  Empress 
Dowager.  "I  have  often  wondered  which  hour 
in  the  twenty-four  nature  is  her  loveliest.  I  have 
watched  her  in  all  of  them;  in  the  early  morning, 
at  midday,  in  the  long  dreamy  afternoons,  in  the 
evenings,  and  in  the  wonderful  hours  of  the  starry 
night,  and  never,  never  can  I  decide  when  her 
beauty  is  supreme." 

Suddenly  she  remembered  the  commission  she 
had  given  the  Chief  Eunuch. 

"What  says  the  book?"  she  asked. 

"What  your  slave  read  is  best  said  to  your 
Majesty's  ear  alone,"  he  replied  significantly. 
She  turned  to  A-lu-te,  "You  can  join  the  other 
ladies.  Tell  them  to  note  the  beauties  of  nature 
and  cease  discussing  their  clothes,  or  tea-house 
gossip  brought  by  eunuchs  to  the  Palace." 

A-lu-te  withdrew.     Her  heart  was  heavy  with 


Failure  129 

foreboding.  She  feared  the  Chief  Eunuch  at 
that  moment  more  than  she  had  feared  the  Em 
press  Dowager's  frown. 

When  she  had  gone,  Tzu  Hsi  said  sharply: 
"Out  with  it— what  said  the  book?" 

"Old  Buddha,  the  news  is  bad.  The  seventh 
of  this  moon — which  is  the  day  she  came  to  the 
Palace — trouble  begins  for  you." 

Clever  woman  though  she  was,  Tzu  Hsi  was 
grossly  superstitious.  Belief  in  omens,  in  pro 
phecies  was  deep-rooted  in  her  character  and 
played  an  incredibly  important  part  in  forming 
her  opinions,  in  regulating  the  actions  of  her  public 
and  private  life.  She  was  in  fact  as  grossly  super-' 
stitious  as  the  most  ignorant  coolie  in  the  Empire, 
in  spite  of  her  undoubted  intelligence,  her  pro 
found  acquaintance  with  Chinese  Classics  and 
Histories.  She  seldom  questioned  the  integrity 
of  signs  and  omens,  and  she  habitually  consulted 
her  book  not  only  for  lucky  days,  but  for  propitious 
hours  in  the  day. 

The  Chief  Eunuch's  report  both  amazed  and 
troubled  her.  She  rose  abruptly.  "My  chair," 
she  commanded. 

This  time  A-lu-te  was  not  invited  into  the 
royal  barge.  The  girl's  anxiety  and  fear  in 
creased  momentarily.  What  had  the  Chief  Eu 
nuch  told  the  Empress  Dowager?  Perhaps  he  had 
discovered  her  identity!  But  she  did  not  enter 
tain  the  thought  long,  for  she  was  well  aware  that 
the  Great  Old  Buddha's  rage  would  have  fallen 


130          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

upon  her  immediately.  The  court  ladies,  quick 
to  note  the  slightest  change  in  the  royal  counte 
nance,  thought  they  saw  A-lu-te's  star  rapidly 
descending.  They  moved  away  from  her,  gather 
ing  in  small  groups  to  whisper  and  titter,  while 
she  sat  apart  a  prey  to  anxious  thoughts  and  con 
jectures.  She  was  not  entirely  alone  however. 
Lady  Chou-Chau  remained  beside  her.  When 
they  landed,  A-lu-te  hoped  ardently  that  she 
would  be  summoned  to  approach  the  Empress 
Dowager  again,  to  entertain  her  with  song  and 
story,  or  lively  conversation. 

But  no  summons  came,  and  she  was  allowed  to 
follow  unnoticed  in  the  rear  of  the  procession. 
Later  in  the  day  she  accompanied  the  Court  to 
the  theatre  and  remained  long  hours  scarcely 
seeing  or  hearing  the  eunuch  actors  who  were  per 
forming  one  of  the  numerous  plays  which  the 
Empress  Dowager  amused  herself  writing  in 
leisure  hours. 

That  evening  when  she  returned  to  her  room, 
she  found  a  small  fluffy  black  and  white  object 
curled  up  on  a  chair.  It  was  Cha's  brother,  the 
gift  of  the  Empress  Dowager.  The  little  creature 
stuck  out  its  soft  moist  tongue  and  gently  licked 
her  hand.  A-lu-te  felt  comforted,  for  she  could 
not  but  think  that  had  the  Empress  Dowager  been 
angry  the  dog  would  not  have  been  sent  to  her. 
She  felt  tired  yet  had  no  thought  of  sleep.  She 
sank  on  her  knees  and  bowing  her  head  to  the 
floor  began  to  pray. 


Failure  131 

"Oh  you,  you  nameless  One,  you  God  of  the 
foreigners,  help  me,  A-lu-te;  for  Buddha  hears  me 
not.  With  bent  body,  with  lowered  eyes,  humbly, 
humbly  I  bring  my  prayers  to  you.  I  will  burn 
incense  and  candles  in  your  temples  at  this  very 
hour,  every  month  of  every  year  I  live,  if  you  listen 
to  me  now.  Save  Fen-Sha,  condemned  to  die 
the  lingering  death.  O  you  God  of  the  foreigners, 
I  kowtow  to  you.  I  promise  sacrifices  to  you, 
wine,  cakes,  aye,  even  sheep  and  bullock,  rever 
ently,  reverently  I  promise.  Save  Fen-Sha,  save 
Fen-Sha,  save  Fen-Sha !" 

The  night  was  far  spent  and  still  A-lu-te  offered 
up  her  frenzied  prayers,  bowing  to  the  ground 
unceasingly,  calling  on  the  God  of  the  foreigner. 
An  hour  before  dawn,  she  crept  exhausted  to  her 
K'ang. 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE  DEATH   SENTENCE 

IT  was  four  when  S'ang  roused  her.  "At  the 
hour  of  the  tiger  you  must  be  in  attendance  on  Lao 
Fo  Yeh.  It  is  time  to  make  ready ;  I  have  brought 
tea,"  and  he  placed  a  tray  on  a  lacquer  table. 

A-lu-te  drank  the  tea,  then  made  her  toilet. 
A  fresh  coating  of  paint  disguised  the  pallor  of  her 
skin  and  the  dark  hollows  beneath  her  tired  eyes. 

"God  give  you  a  good  day,"  said  S'ang,  as  she 
left  the  pavilion. 

The  words  produced  a  certain  comforting  im 
pression  on  her.  She  found  the  court  ladies 
already  assembled  on  the  marble-paved  veranda 
of  the  imperial  pavilion.  The  Empress  Dowager 
was  still  sleeping.  The  court  ladies  had  few  duties 
they  disliked  more  than  waking  the  Old  Buddha. 
It  was  with  something  of  malicious  satisfaction 
that  they  informed  A-lu-te  she  had  been  assigned 
to  perform  this  disagreeable  task. 

She  entered  the  bedroom.  Tzu  Hsi  was  lying 
with  her  face  turned  to  the  wall. 

"Old  Ancestor,"  said  A-lu-te,  "it  is  the  hour  of 
the  hare." 

132 


The  Death  Sentence  133 

No  sound  came  from  the  bed  to  indicate  that 
she  had  been  heard.  A-lut-e  raised  her  voice: 
"Old  Ancestor,  it  is  the  hour  of  the  hare."  Still 
no  reply.  Again  A-lu-te  spoke.,  and  louder:  "Old 
Ancestor,  it  is " 

"Be  quiet.  Go  away.  How  many  times  do 
you  intend  to  repeat  the  same  thing?  You  are 
destitute  of  originality  and  have  no  sense." 

The  Empress  Dowager  made  this  speech  without 
moving. 

"Pull  in  your  head,  or  stick  it  out,  off  it  must 
come,"  murmured  A-lu-te  demurely.  It  was  a 
popular  Chinese  proverb,  meaning  that  when  you 
are  summoned  before  one  in  authority,  whether 
you  are  guilty  or  innocent  of  wrongdoing,  the 
result  will  be  equally  disastrous  for  you.  The 
Empress  Dowager  turned  abruptly:  "Humph, 
it's  you,  is  it ! "  she  said.  * '  I  might  have  known  as 
much.  So  you  think  it  is  a  difficult  task  to  wake 
me  and  please  me  at  the  same  time?  Well,  I 
won't  take  your  head  off  this  morning,  it's  too 
pretty." 

She  was  wide  awake  now.  The  more  she  saw 
of  A-lu-te,  the  more  irresistibly  she  felt  attracted 
towards  her.  She  was  prepared  for  once  to  believe 
the  book  mistaken.  Yesterday  she  had  ordered 
the  horoscope  drawn  of  the  maiden  Wang-ti,  and 
there  had  been  nothing  to  indicate  that  the  star 
of  Wang-ti  came  in  any  way  in  conjunction  with 
the  star  of  the  Benign  Mother.  She  remembered 
this  with  satisfaction  as  she  sat  up  in  bed  and  ate 


134          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

the  lotus-root  porridge  a  slave  girl  brought  her. 
Then  she  proceeded  to  the  serious  business  of  her 
toilet.  When  the  Empress  Dowager  awakened 
in  a  good  humour,  the  entire  Court  was  happy. 
Especially  was  this  true  of  those  whose  duty  com 
pelled  attendance  in  the  imperial  bedchamber, 
for  there  were  mornings  when  it  was  impossible  to 
please  Tzu  Hsi,  mornings  when  the  least  careless 
ness,  negligence,  or  inadvertencies  were  punished 
with  severity,  and  when  even  the  death  penalty 
was  inflicted  on  the  offender.  This  had  been  the 
fate  of  a  wretched  eunuch  who,  new  to  his  task, 
had,  while  making  the  Empress  Dowager's  coiffure, 
combed  out  two  or  three  hairs,  and  failed  to  hide 
them  up  his  sleeve,  as  his  more  strategic  prede 
cessor  had  invariably  done.  He  was  beaten  to 
death  by  the  savage  order  of  the  Chief  Eunuch  to 
whom  the  Empress  Dowager  complained  that  the 
fellow  was  wilfully  awkward  and  had  pulled  out 
her  tresses. 

But  when  Tzu  Hsi  felt  amiable,  she  was  the 
most  gentle  of  mistresses,  the  most  charming  of 
companions.  Although  she  possessed  an  absolute 
lack  of  pity,  or  sympathy,  yet,  woman  that  she 
was,  she  had  great  need  of  tenderness,  and  such 
was  her  magnetism  that  she  found  this  tenderness 
wherever  she  chose  to  seek  it.  She  was  fully 
cognizant  of  this  fact  and  often  declared  that  she 
could  when  she  chose  be  like  the  golden  orchid, 
love-exciting.  On  this  particular  morning  she 
was  amiable  and  gracious  to  everyone.  She  talked 


The  Death  Sentence  135 

gaily,  while  the  amahs  fastened  the  wide  silk  pan 
taloons  at  her  ankles  with  rose-coloured  ribbons, 
and  slipped  over  the  rose-silk  shirt  a  short  morning 
gown  of  soft  crepe  embroidered  with  bamboo 
leaves. 

"Wang-ti,"  she  said,  "you  may  attend  me 
when  I  give  audience  this  morning  to  the  Senior 
Secretary  of  the  Hing  Pu"  (the  Board  of  Punish 
ment)  .  "I  want  you  to  see  what  a  man  looks  like 
who  possesses  the  miraculous  faculty  of  obeying 
my  orders  with  exactness  and  promptitude.  When 
our  official  business  is  transacted,  I  will  converse 
with  him  on  the  Classics  that  you  may  taste  the 
flavour  of  his  intelligence.  He  is  not  like  some 
men  I  know  who  think  to  look  wise  by  the  simple 
process  of  rubbing  their  noses  and  who  imagine 
they  hoodwink  me  into  believing  them  clever." 

She  was  dusting  her  face  with  scented  powder, 
having  first  washed  it  and  sprayed  it  with  a  lotion 
of  honey  and  white  jasmine.  Her  complexion 
was  clear,  smooth,  and  soft  as  that  of  a  child. 
A-lu-te  stood  beside  her  watching  her. 

"How  beautiful  your  Majesty  is!"  exclaimed 
the  girl  impulsively.  Tzu  Hsi,  who  loved  compli 
ments  when  they  were  given  spontaneously  and 
detested  them  when  they  were  not,  looked  pleased. 

"Am  I?  Well,  that  is  as  it  should  be.  Every 
woman,  whether  young  or  old  should  make  herself 
beautiful.  It  is  not  a  question  of  features,  but 
of  attention  to  the  details  of  her  toilet,  and  to  the 
cultivation  of  gracious  manners  and  the  desire  to 


136          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

please  for  the  sake  of  pleasing.  This  is  the  recipe 
I  have  followed  myself  and  have  given  to  all  the 
ladies  at  Court.  Those  who  have  sense  profit  by 
it,  but  the  majority  are  too  stupid  to  do  so." 

She  changed  her  short  morning  gown  for  an 
elaborate  garment  of  yellow  silk  gauze  embroidered 
with  peonies  and  precious  stones.  Then  she  went 
to  the  Throne  Room  and  sat  behind  a  magnificent 
teakwood  screen  inlaid  with  lapis-lazuli.  The 
Senior  Secretary  of  the  Hing  Pu  was  announced. 
On  entering  the  room,  the  Senior  Secretary,  who 
was  an  old  man,  performed  the  ceremony  of  the 
Kwei-Kiu-Kao,  that  is  thrice  kneeling,  and  nine 
times  bowing  the  head  to  the  ground.  He  ad 
vanced  on  his  knees  (he  had  taken  the  precaution 
of  heavily  padding  them)  to  the  first  row  of  cushions 
on  the  marble  floor  and  waited  for  the  Empress 
Dowager  to  speak. 

''When  did  you  return  to  Peking?"  she  asked 
from  behind  the  suspended  curtain. 

' '  Late  yesterday  afternoon. ' ' 

"Have  you  entirely  recovered  from  the  malady 
in  your  left  knee?" 

"Not  entirely,  it  still  causes  me  pain." 

"Does  that  posture  increase  your  pain?" 

"Yes,  it  increases  it." 

"Have  all  the  members  of  the  Kao-lao-hui 
club  been  arrested?" 

"Not  all,  four  made  their  escape." 

"That  is  bad.  They  must  be  found  and  dealt 
with  summarily.  All  such  organizations  must  be 


The  Death  Sentence  137 

strangled  in  their  inceptions  before  they  can  do 
harm.  Their  principles  are  pernicious  and  con 
trary  to  Chinese  law.  Did  you  see  the  man  Fen- 
Sha,  the  organizer  of  these  clubs?" 

"Yes.  The  magistrate  in  Tientsin  had  him 
brought  before  me.  The  villain  showed  no  signs 
of  repentance.  He  had  the  temerity  to  say  he  had 
done  no  wrong,  that  his  arrest  was  unjustifiable, 
and  that  the  time  was  not  far  distant  when  every 
man  in  China  would  think  as  he  did. '  * 

' '  He  is  an  arch- traitor.  He  spends  his  life  pro 
moting  agitation,  sowing  seeds  of  dissension  over 
all  the  land.  You  know,  do  you  not,  that  he  was 
captured  on  the  banks  of  the  Pei-ho  where  he  was 
disguised  as  a  travelling  tinker — talking  to  the 
villagers  of  liberty?" 

"Yes,  I  know  that." 

"What  means  this  miserable  organizer  of  rebel 
lion  by  'liberty'?  Does  a  dutiful  son  desire  to 
sever  the  bonds  that  bind  him  to  his  father,  or  a 
good  wife  to  refuse  obedience  to  her  husband  and 
mother-in-law?  The  people  are  the  children  of 
their  sovereign  who  is  their  father  and  their 
mother,  and  who  knows  what  is  good  and  what  is 
bad  for  them.  Did  this  Fen-Sha  admit  he  insti 
gated  Tsing  to  memorialize  the  Throne,  denounc 
ing  in  unseemly  language  my  loyal  servant  and 
Chief  Eunuch?" 

"Yes,  he  admitted  it.  But  he  denied  that  he 
was  the  author  of  those  scurrilous  attacks  on  your 
Majesty  printed  on  placards  and  posted  on  the 


138          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

city  walls  of  the  south.  But  the  magistrate  is  of 
the  opinion  that  he  wrote  them." 

"What  said  these  placards?" 

"Most  illustrious  Queen,  Buddha  pronounced 
these  words:  'The  wicked  man  who  persecutes 
the  good  man  is  like  a  madman  who  throwing  back 
his  head  spits  against  heaven ;  his  spittle,  incapable 
of  sullying  heaven,  merely  falls  back  upon  him 
self."' 

"I  know  what  Buddha  has  said  quite  as  well  as 
you.  You  need  not  waste  your  breath  and  my 
time  in  telling  me.  What  said  the  placards?" 

"The  author  of  the  placards  compared  the  life 
of  her  sacred  Majesty  to  the  lives  of  Kieh  and 
Mi-h'e  of  the  Hia  dynasty." 

These  rulers  are  notorious  in  Chinese  annals 
for  cruelty  and  licentiousness. 

"  Ha !  He  did  that  ? "  Tzu  Hsi's  voice  trembled 
with  rage.  "What  depths  of  unthinkable  auda 
city!  The  madman's  tongue  shall  be  torn  from 
its  root  for  such  unbridled  license.  What  else 
said  he?" 

"That  like  Chau-sin  her  Majesty  would  not 
hesitate  to  command  the  heart  of  a  fearless,  con 
scientious  censor  plucked  out  and  brought  to  her, 
to  see  wherein  it  differed  from  the  cowardly 
sycophants  who  habitually  court  her  favour." 

Tzu  Hsi's  passion  was  frightful  to  witness;  it 
was  like  a  tempestuous  whirlwind  through  which 
her  eyes  gleamed  like  bolts  of  lightning.  Her 
voice  rose  to  a  shrill  ear-splitting  shriek.  "When 


The  Death  Sentence  139 

is  the  execution  of  this  dog  Fen-Sha  ordered  to 
take  place?" 

"On  the  fifteenth  of  this  moon,  a  week  from 
yesterday." 

"Let  it  be  accomplished  immediately.  You 
are  to  hasten  to  Tientsin.  The  hour  of  your 
arrival  you  are  to  present  my  decree  and  you  are 
to  superintend  his  death  yourself.  I  order  the 
slicing  process  to  be  lingeringly  prolonged;  his 
ankles  to  be  crushed  in  a  vice,  his  thigh-bones 
broken,  his  eyelids  cut  off  and  clipped  into  small 
fragments,  and  I  forbid  the  transmigration  of  his 
soul,  which  is  to  remain  in  a  state  of  suspended 
animation  for  all  time." 

She  wrote  the  fatal  decree  with  vermilion  ink 
on  flowered  paper. 

"My  seal!"  she  commanded.  The  Chief  Eu 
nuch  opened  a  beautiful  chased  gold  box  wherein 
lay  the  Empress  Dowager's  seal  of  state.  The 
document  was  stamped  and  the  eunuch  received 
it  kneeling.  He  in  turn  handed  it  to  the  Senior 
Secretary,  who  kowtowed  when  he  took  it. 

"You  are  dismissed.     Hasten,"  said  Tzu  Hsi. 

Three  times  the  Senior  Secretary  essayed  to 
rise  from  his  knees,  but  the  pain  overpowered 
him  and  three  times  he  sank  down  again. 

"Let  eunuchs  assist  him,"  said  the  Empress 
Dowager. 

The  old  man  was  raised  and  leaning  heavily 
on  the  arms  of  the  eunuchs  he  limped  from  the 
Throne  Room.  Outside  the  eunuchs  heard  him 


140          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

murmur,  "The  leaves  of  my  life-tree  are  falling 
rapidly — this  journey  to  Tientsin  will  shake  the 
last  remaining  ones  down.  But  they  will  not  fall 
till  I  have  fulfilled  her  Majesty's  commands." 

A-lu-te  had  listened  to  this  audience  with  heart 
palpitating  so  loudly,  she  thought  all  must  hear 
it  throb.  Beneath  the  paint  on  her  face  she  had 
grown  white  as  the  marble  floor  she  stood  upon. 
A  frenzy  of  despair  seized  her.  She  told  herself 
that  it  was  impossible  now  to  save  Fen-Sha.  The 
Senior  Secretary  would  start  for  Tientsin  that 
very  day.  Had  the  Great  Old  Ancestor  not  told 
her  he  possessed  the  miraculous  faculty  of  execut 
ing  her  orders  promptly  and  with  exactitude  ?  Be 
cause  he  was  an  old  man,  he  would  no  doubt  take 
the  water  road  to  Tientsin,  for  it  was  easier 
though  longer  than  the  land  road.  Yet  even  so, 
with  favourable  conditions  the  boats  could  make 
the  journey  down  the  river  in  two  days.  Fen- 
Sha  was  doomed.  She  could  not  think  clearly 
because  of  the  horror  which  oppressed  her.  Her 
knees  shook;  she  trembled  as  with  a  sickness.  She 
did  not  know  that  the  Chief  Eunuch,  suddenly 
aware  of  her  agitation,  was  whispering  to  the  Em 
press  Dowager,  till  the  latter  turned  and  stared 
at  her.  With  a  supreme  effort  she  sought  to  con 
trol  her  trembling.  The  effort  was  vain ;  her  teeth 
chattered  in  her  head. 

"What  ails  you?"  asked  the  Empress  Dowager. 

Her  rage,  fierce  and  deadly  while  it  lasted,  was 
already  spent. 


The  Death  Sentence  141 

"A  sickness  has  come  upon  me,'*  replied  A-lu-te 
in  a  voice  scarcely  audible. 

"A  sickness!"  exclaimed  the  Empress  Dowager, 
a  note  of  genuine  anxiety  in  her  tones.  "You 
remember  the  horoscope,  Li?  She  is  delicate. 
We  must  watch  carefully  over  her  lest — "  She 
did  not  finish  the  sentence  but  looked  significantly 
at  the  Chief  Eunuch.  He  nodded.  The  maiden 
Wang-ti's  horoscope  had  foretold  her  early 
death;  the  exact  reading  had  been:  "Her  destiny 
not  long  lived;  her  sands  soon  exhausted." 

Tzu  Hsi  was  determined  to  do  all  within  her 
power  to  prolong  the  life  of  this  girl  who  attracted 
her  so  strongly.  "Let  the  doctors  be  summoned," 
she  ordered. 

In  a  few  minutes  the  court  physicians  appeared. 
Like  the  scholars  in  the  Palace,  they  too  were  eu 
nuchs.  Told  by  the  Empress  Dowager  to  discover 
and  cure  the  particular  sickness  which  had  seized 
upon  A-lu-te,  they  examined  her  tongue  and  felt 
the  pulse  of  each  wrist.  By  the  beating  of  the 
pulse  of  the  left  wrist,  the  state  of  the  heart  was 
determined,  while  the  right  pulse  indicated  the 
condition  of  the  liver  and  lungs.  They  announced 
their  opinion  that  the  noble  malady  was  an  affec 
tion  of  the  heart  and  that  to  restore  equilibrium 
and  harmony  to  the  system  the  patient  must 
swallow  pills  of  powdered  staghorn  which  they 
would  prepare  and  that  in  the  meantime  she  must 
sleep  three  consecutive  hours. 

The  Empress   Dowager  excused  A-lu-te  from 


142          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

further  attendance  upon  her  that  morning  and 
cautioned  her  to  obey  the  physicians  by  sleeping 
the  prescribed  number  of  hours. 

In  the  seclusion  and  quiet  of  her  room  A-lu-te 
strove  with  all  her  force  to  compel  her  mind  to 
think  calmly  and  to  formulate  some  plan  by  which 
she  could  still  save  Fen-Sha.  But  for  a  long  time 
she  could  not  quiet  herself.  She  pressed  her  hands 
to  her  temples,  repeating  despairingly:  "Too  late, 
too  late,  I  cannot  save  him  now."  Drops  of  sweat 
covered  her  forehead.  She  pictured  Fen-Sha 
dragged  from  his  prison  to  the  place  of  execution, 
she  saw  his  eyelids  cut  off  and  with  awful  slowness 
his  body  hacked  into  unrecognizable  pieces.  The 
scene  was  horribly  vivid.  A  black  mist  covered 
her  eyes ;  she  felt  faint  and  stretched  out  her  hand 
to  steady  herself.  Her  fingers  came  in  contact 
with  the  book  S'ang  had  given  her — the  book  of 
rites  of  the  foreigners  which  they  called  the  Bible. 
Suddenly  she  recalled  the  words  S'ang  had  read 
to  her:  "Ask  and  ye  shall  receive."  Her  faint- 
ness  left  her;  she  became  transported  with  rage. 
She  seized  the  Bible  and  flung  it  on  the  floor  and 
stamped  upon  it.  The  God  of  the  foreigners  had 
lied  to  her.  She  had  believed  in  him  and  he  had 
deceived  her.  He  was  worse  than  Buddha,  a 
thousand,  a  million  times  worse.  Buddha  gave 
no  promises  and  if  he  had  not  helped  her  to  rescue 
Fen-Sha  and  had  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  her  pleading, 
he  at  least  had  not  mocked  her  with  false  hopes. 
She  stooped,  picked  up  the  Bible,  and  flung  it  with 


The  Death  Sentence  143 

all  her  force  the  length  of  the  room.  It  fell  behind 
the  teakwood  teapoy.  Her  face  was  distorted 
with  passion.  An  outside  door  of  the  pavilion 
opened;  footsteps  approached  the  room.  A-lu-te 
heard  nothing,  saw  nothing,  the  frenzy  of  her 
rage  was  strong  upon  her.  The  curtains  were 
softly  drawn  aside  and  the  ugly  head  of  the  Chief 
Eunuch  appeared  in  the  opening.  He  took  one 
step  into  the  room,  and  stopped;  the  expression 
of  amazement  on  his  face  was  swiftly  followed  by 
one  of  comprehension  and  of  fear. 

A-lu-te,  rage-smitten,  oblivious  of  everything 
but  her  own  anger,  was  pacing  the  room  like  a 
tigress.  So  had  the  Old  Buddha  looked  that  very 
morning,  so  did  she  look  every  time  rage  took 
possession  of  her.  The  resemblance  was  striking, 
unmistakable,  why  had  he  not  seen  it  before? 
He  knew  now  why  his  instinct  had  warned  him 
not  to  admit  this  girl  into  the  Palace!  Softly  he 
dropped  the  curtains  and  with  stealthy  step  left 
the  pavilion.  He  did  not  choose  that  she  should 
know  he  had  been  there.  He  shut  himself  up  in 
his  own  handsome  apartments. 

He  felt  the  need  of  thinking  over  many  things. 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE  PUPPET  EMPEROR  APPEARS 

THE  Emperor  Kuang  Hsu  left  his  capital  to  go 
to  the  Summer  Palace.  He  was  late.  If  his 
august  aunt,  the  Empress  Dowager,  chanced  to 
notice  this  fact,  his  weekly  visit  of  subjugation — 
for  it  was  nothing  less — would  be  made  more  un 
pleasant  for  him  than  usual.  Nominally  he  had 
now  been  ruler  of  China  for  a  year.  He  held 
audiences  every  morning;  the  ministers  of  state 
received  his  commands  and  obeyed  them  too — 
if  they  did  not  conflict  with  those  of  the  Empress 
Dowager;  he  wrote  decrees  which  were  published 
— after  the  Empress  Dowager  had  passed  upon 
them;  he  made  officials,  and  the  Empress  Dowager 
unmade  them  when  the  mood  seized  her.  He 
was  a  puppet  ruler,  and  he  knew  it.  The  thought 
rankled  so  steadily  within  him  it  became  at  times 
like  the  fierce  stinging  of  wasps  and  caused  those 
violent  outbursts  of  temper  which  his  imperial 
aunt  pretended  so  greatly  to  deprecate.  Yet  she 
herself  possessed  more  than  her  full  share  of  the 
Yehonole  family  temper.  Moreover  her  parox 
ysms  of  anger  invariably  led  to  crime,  while  his 

144 


The  Puppet  Emperor  Appears        145 

harmed  no  one  but  himself.  But  she  knew  how 
to  cast  a  mantel  of  decent  fiction  over  her  darkest 
deeds  and  the  people  gladly  shut  their  eyes  and 
swallowed  the  tale.  They  did  not  believe  she 
had  encouraged  her  own  son  in  vicious  living  to 
undermine  his  health  in  order  that  she  might  con 
tinue  to  rule  in  his  stead ;  nor  that  she  had  caused 
the  death  of  his  pregnant  wife.  When  rumours 
reached  them  of  her  fierce  and  savage  temper, 
they  merely  said :  "Yes,  the  Benign  Mother  is  apt 
at  times  to  be  a  little  choleric;  she  has  her  weak 
nesses,  being  human,  but  her  heart  is  good." 
Kuang  Hsu  knew  well  what  they  said  of  him,  their 
puppet  Emperor.  Did  they  not  believe  the  care 
fully  spread  reports  of  Tzu  Hsi's  eunuchs  that 
his  mind  was  as  feeble  as  his  body?  Some  day 
they  would  know  the  truth;  some  day  he  would 
rule  his  Empire  in  reality.  But  the  time  was  not 
yet  come  when  he  could  break  the  fetters  which 
bound  him  to  the  Summer  Palace.  He  was  sur 
rounded  by  the  "rats  and  foxes"  which  infested 
the  Yellow  City — the  very  walls  of  his  private 
palace  were  honeycombed  with  them — all  crea 
tures  of  his  aunt  and  her  horrid  henchman,  Li. 
Even  his  consort  the  young  Empress  acted  as  a 
spy  upon  him,  reporting  to  the  Empress  Dowager 
every  word  and  look  he  gave  in  her  presence.  He 
would  like  to  relegate  her  to  the  "cold  palace" 
where  the  wives  of  former  emperors  were  im 
prisoned  when  their  conduct  merited  punishment, 
or  they  had  ceased  to  please.  How  ugly  she  was, 

10 


146          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

with  her  stooped  shoulders  and  narrow  chest  and 
her  black  teeth.  It  was  a  relief  to  turn  from  her 
to  the  smiling  countenances  of  some  of  his  con 
cubines,  even  though  their  mother- wit  was  less 
than  mediocre. 

As  Kuang  Hsu  knelt  outwardly  humbly  before 
the  inner  gate  of  the  Summer  Palace  that  morning, 
his  whole  soul  was  in  revolt.  The  surging  passion  in 
his  veins  made  him  breathe  hard.  He  felt  that  his 
presence  there,  awaiting  the  pleasure  of  the  Chief 
Eunuch  to  admit  him,  was  an  indignity  too  great 
to  be  borne.  Last  week  Li  had  kept  him  kneeling 
at  the  gate  one  half  hour  before  he  announced  his 
presence  to  the  Empress  Dowager.  Must  he 
again  submit  to  such  treatment  from  this  vile, 
base-born  creature?  It  was  good  to  remember 
that  he  once  had  this  dog  of  a  eunuch  flogged. 
That  was  long  ago.  Li  had  failed  publicly  in 
respect  to  him  and  he  had  ordered  his  eunuchs  to 
seize  him,  strip  him,  and  apply  the  big  bamboo  to 
his  bare  back  till  his  flesh  was  raw.  The  fellow 
had  howled  with  pain. 

The  young  man  smiled  grimly  as  he  recalled 
the  scene.  But  since  the  flogging  the  Chief  Eunuch 
had  had  his  revenge  many  times  over.  He  it  was 
who  a  few  days  later  had  induced  the  Empress 
Dowager  to  order  the  decapitation  of  the  eunuchs 
who  had  administered  the  beating,  on  accusation 
of  stealing  bolts  of  tribute  silk  from  the  palace 
warehouse.  The  charge  was  true,  of  course,  for 
what  eunuch  did  not  take  this  " squeeze"?  Yet 


The  Puppet  Emperor  Appears        147 

the  Emperor  had  been  powerless  to  save  them  and 
they  had  been  replaced  by  the  Chief  Eunuch's 
own  creatures.  Every  day  his  influence  with  the 
Empress  Dowager  grew.  He  had  even  induced 
her  recently  to  disgrace  an  honest,  brave  official, 
and  compel  him  to  commit  suicide,  because  he  had 
memorialized  the  Throne  concerning  Li's  iniqui 
ties.  In  all  the  history  of  the  Empire  never  had 
eunuchs  attained  such  power,  displayed  such 
barefaced  effrontery  as  now — no,  not  even  under 
the  Ming  dynasty,  which  owed  its  downfall  and 
complete  degeneracy  to  these  sexless  court  menials. 
The  wise  K'ang  Hsi  had  curtailed  their  privileges. 
The  excellent  rules  of  his  reign  were  long  main 
tained  and  these  born  sweepers  of  floors  were  for 
nearly  two  hundred  years  rendered  innocuous. 
But  gradually  the  evil  grew  again  till  now  it  had 
become  monstrous.  Well,  he,  the  Emperor  Kuang 
Hsu,  would  chase  this  vile  brood  of  scorpions  from 
the  Palace  soon. 

Such  were  Kuang  Hsu's  thoughts  as  he  knelt. 
A  firm  look  appeared  on  his  handsome  young 
face  and  his  delicate  jaws  closed  with  something 
like  a  snap.  He  had  been  kneeling  ten  minutes 
and  still  no  one  came  to  admit  him.  He  rose 
abruptly  and  turning  to  his  attendants,  said: 
"Stay  here.  When  the  Chief  Eunuch  arrives, 
inform  me.  I  shall  be  yonder."  He  indicated 
a  court  on  the  left,  adjoining  the  one  he  was  in. 
The  eunuchs  were  filled  with  amazement.  Such 
a  proceeding  was  without  precedence;  it  was  an 


148          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

unheard-of  departure  from  etiquette.  Yet  among 
his  servants  were  a  few  who,  longing  to  see  their 
lord  the  real  master  in  the  Empire,  felt  a  keen 
satisfaction  at  his  action;  they  pictured  with 
unction  the  Chief  Eunuch's  immense  surprise 
when  he  came  to  admit  the  Emperor  and  discov 
ered  his  absence.  They  watched  the  slight,  elegant 
figure  of  their  young  sovereign  disappear  in  the 
adjoining  court.  Kuang  Hsu's  knees  were  sore 
and  his  back  ached.  He  gnawed  his  lip  with 
vexation  that  he  should  have  so  little  strength  to 
bear  physical  fatigue. 

The  court  he  entered  was  a  large  one  and  made 
by  China's  most  expert  landscape  gardeners  to 
represent,  in  miniature,  mountains,  valleys,  and 
grass-grown  plains.  Red  bridges  spanned  small 
streams  and  here  and  there  were  scattered  memorial 
stones  with  verses  cut  upon  them  from  the  Book 
of  Odes,  or  original  lines  from  the  poetic  pens  of 
former  emperors. 

Lost  in  gloomy  thought  Kuang  Hsu  wandered 
on  till  he  came  to  a  gate  in  the  wall  surrounding 
another  court.  The  gate  was  small  and  evidently 
intended  for  the  use  of  gardeners  and  workmen. 
It  was  partially  ajar.  The  young  man  pushed  it 
open  with  his  foot  and  entered  a  garden  which 
when  a  boy  had  been  a  favourite  lounging  place 
of  his.  Between  two  great  cypress  trees,  near  a 
lotus  pond,  he  saw  the  figure  of  a  woman.  She  was 
young  and  dressed  in  court  costume.  With  quick 
steps  she  was  pacing  back  and  forth  on  the  banks 


The  Puppet  Emperor  Appears        149 

of  the  pond.  Now  and  again  she  stopped,  wrung 
her  hands  wildly,  and  resumed  her  agitated  walk. 
The  Emperor  approached  her  unobserved.  He 
could  hear  her  low  dry  sobs,  the  swift  catching  of 
her  breath  as  if  she  were  suffering  sharp  physical 
pain. 

''Who  are  you?"  he  asked. 

A-lu-te — for  it  was  she — started  violently  at  the 
sound  of  a  voice  when  she  had  supposed  herself 
alone.  "One  forsaken  of  the  gods,"  she  said. 
"Who  are  you?" 

"The  Solitary  One!"  The  answer  was  given  in 
a  voice  of  infinite  sadness. 

"The  Emperor!"  exclaimed  A-lu-te,  and  threw 
herself  on  the  ground  making  obeisance. 

"You  need  not  do  that!"  he  said  gently.  "I 
have  not  seen  you  before.  How  long  have  you 
been  in  the  Palace." 

"Two  days." 

"Then  you  are  one  of  the  Manchu  maidens 
whom  the  Empress  Dowager  selects  for  me.  Are 
you  crying  because  you  do  not  want  to  be  a  woman 
in  my  palace?" 

"No,"  replied  A-lu-te,  "that  is  not  why  I  am 
crying,  although  I  do  not  want  to  be  a  woman 
in  your  palace." 

"Were  you  forced  to  come?"  he  continued  his 
questions,  looking  at  her  gravely  from  under  the 
drooping  lids  of  his  large  brown  eyes. 

"No." 

"You  came  of  your  own  volition,  then?" 


150          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

"Yes." 

"Yet  you  did  not  want  to  come?  Explain 
yourself,"  he  commanded  quietly. 

For  a  brief  instant  A-lu-te  let  her  gaze  rest  on 
the  handsome  high-bred  face,  on  the  features  cut 
as  from  a  cameo,  the  broad  intellectual  brow,  the 
sad  kindly  eye.  Apparently  she  was  satisfied  with 
what  she  saw  for  she  exclaimed  with  sudden,  low 
vehemence:  "Your  Majesty,  help,  oh,  help  me!" 

"Said  the  sun-baked  paddy-field  to  the  bone- 
dry  stream,"  murmured  Kuang  Hsu  with  a 
mocking  smile.  "Come  we  will  sit  on  yonder 
marble  bench  in  the  shade  of  the  mimosa  trees. 
So — that  is  better.  What  is  your  name?" 

"A-lu-te" ;  the  name  burst  from  her  impulsively, 
unguardedly. 

"An  ill-omened  name.  So  was  the  Emperor 
Fung-Chih's  widow  called — she  who  was  poisoned 
being  pregnant.  That  is  why  I  am  now  Emperor," 
he  remarked  calmly. 

"Poisoned!"  exclaimed  A-lu-te.  "Oh,  your 
Majesty,  is  it  true  indeed!" 

"As  true  as  that  some  day  the  same  fate  awaits 


me." 


There  was  no  emotion  in  his  voice;  he  might 
have  been  predicting  a  change  in  the  weather. 

"Who  would  dare?"  asked  A-lu-te,  as  she  un 
consciously  drew  nearer  the  young  Emperor. 

He  smiled  again  that  same  little  mocking  smile 
but  made  no  answer.  Somehow  A-lu-te  under 
stood. 


The  Puppet  Emperor  Appears        151 

"Oh!"  she  exclaimed  passionately,  "she  is  a 
wicked  woman." 

"Give  scope  to  your  tongue  concerning  your 
self,"  commanded  the  Emperor. 

There  was  that  in  the  young  man's  face  and 
manner  which  inspired  confidence.  A-lu-te  in 
stinctively  felt  that  even  if  he  did  not  help  her, 
he  would  at  least  not  betray  her.  She  cast  pru 
dence  to  the  winds  and  asked  abruptly:  "Your 
Majesty  has  heard  of  the  reformer  Fen-Sha?" 

' '  I  have  heard  of  him.  He  is  accused  of  casting 
aspersions  on  the  character  of  the  Empress  Dow 
ager." 

"Those  are  base  lies,  told  by  his  enemies  to 
accomplish  his  death.  Oh,  your  Majesty,  he  is 
a  good  man,  a  brave  man,  a  scholar  of  high  repute ; 
the  only  crime  he  has  been  guilty  of  is  the  crime 
of  loving  too  well  his  country." 

' '  So  have  I  thought,"  murmured  Kuang  Hsu,  and 
aloud  he  asked :  ' '  What  interest  have  you  in  him  ? ' ' 

"I  am  his  betrothed,"  she  answered  with  bowed 
head. 

Kuang  Hsu  looked  at  her  with  sudden  lively 
interest. 

"Ah!  that  then  is  the  reason  of  your  coming  to 
the  Palace?  You  thought  to  obtain  his  pardon? 
You  thought  to  save  his  life?" 

"Yes,"  admitted  A-lu-te  in  a  low  voice.  She 
slipped  to  the  ground  on  her  knees:  "Oh,  save 
him,  save  him,  your  Majesty!"  she  cried. 

"You  are  asking  the  impossible.     He  whom  the 


152          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

Empress  Dowager  condemns  to  die  is  beyond 
saving  by  the  gods  themselves." 

"By  the  gods,  perhaps.  But  you  are  the  Em 
peror.  You  need  but  write  a  line  and  Fen-Sha 
will  be  released  from  prison." 

"A  dozen  lines  from  me  will  not  serve  to  coun 
termand  one  order  from  the  Empress  Dowager. 
No,  not  if  I  wrote  in  vermilion  ink,  sealed  the 
papers  with  my  private  seal,  and  dispatched  them 
in  all  haste  with  an  arrow  messenger.  Such  is  the 
power  of  the  Son  of  Heaven  on  his  throne!" 

Into  his  arrogant  young  face  came  a  look  of 
intense  bitterness.  For  a  moment  he  appeared 
to  have  forgotten  the  sobbing  girl  at  his  feet. 
Then  his  eyes  rested  on  her  again. 

"Rise,"  he  said  kindly, '"and  listen.  I  would 
like  this  man  Fen-Sha  to  live;  China  needs  all  the 
educated,  progressive,  thinking  young  men  she 
has.  But  I  can  do  nothing  for  him.  He  is  doomed 
to  die.  Not  even  a  second  decree  written  by  the 
Empress  Dowager  herself  can  save  him,  unless 
she  affix  to  it  her  private  seal  by  which  alone  she 
can  annul  her  previous  commands." 

Slowly  A-lu-te  rose  to  her  feet.  A  sudden 
thought,  like  a  flash  of  lightning,  illuminated  the 
darkness  of  her  brain. 

"Where  does  she  keep  this  seal?"  she  asked 

The  Emperor  shot  a  penetrating  look  at  her, 
and  answered  with  studied  carelessness:  "The  seal 
is  in  a  jade  ring  which  never  leaves  the  forefinger 
of  her  right  hand,  day  or  night." 


The  Puppet  Emperor  Appears       153 

For  a  moment  a  deep  silence  reigned  between 
them. 

"Wan  Sway  Yeh"  (Lord  of  Ten  Thousand 
Years),  said  A-lu-te  solemnly,  "if  Fen-Sha  is 
saved,  he  will  devote  his  life  to  your  service, 
he  will  be  your  slave,  your  faithful  dog." 

"I  have  told  you  I  cannot  help  him." 

There  was  something  significant  in  A-lu-te 's 
smile,  as  he  made  this  declaration. 

"You  mean  you  would  dare — "  he  did  not 
complete  the  sentence  but  added  abruptly:  "You 
are  preparing  your  own  death." 

"It  may  be  so,"  she  answered  quietly. 

"Do  you  care  as  much  as  that  for  him?"  he 
asked. 

"Yes." 

"Even  if  you  should  succeed — and  nothing  is 
more  improbable — you  can  never  see  him  again. 
You  belong  to  the  Palace." 

"It  is  true.  But  the  knowledge  that  he  lives 
will  be  my  consolation  and  in  time  my  happiness." 

The  Emperor  shook  his  head  incredulously. 
"You  mistake  yourself.  Women  are  not  made 
that  way.  The  philosopher  Chawng-tze  once 
observed  a  widow  who  had  been  an  exemplary  and 
devoted  wife,  fanning  the  earth  over  her  husband's 
grave.  He  inquired  of  her  the  reason  for  such 
a  strange  proceeding.  Whereupon  she  told  him 
that  she  had  promised  her  husband  on  his  death 
bed  not  to  marry  before  the  earth  of  his  grave  was 
perfectly  dry.  ' And  now, '  she  added,  'as  it  has 


154          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

occurred  to  me  that  the  surface  of  the  ground, 
which  has  been  newly  tempered,  would  not  soon 
dry,  I  thought  I  would  just  fan  it  a  little."1 

Kuang  Hsu's  face  had  an  expression  of  capti 
vating  mischief  as  he  told  this  story.  "That 
woman  was  typical,"  he  said.  A-lu-te  shook  her 
head.  "I  do  not  know  how  other  women  love. 
I  know  only  how  I  love.  If  Fen-Sha  dies,  on  that 
day  I  die  too." 

Again  Kuang  Hsu  looked  at  her  curiously. 

"Many  women  have  loved  me,  but  not  like 
that,"  he  said.  "It  is  true  I  care  little  for  them. 
I  would  give  all  the  women  in  my  palace  for  the 
friendship  of  a  man,  young  like  myself,  a  man  who 
would  give  me  the  companionship  I  have  never 
had,  the  sympathy  I  have  never  known,  the  help 
I  have  never  found,  for  the  furtherance  of  my 
hopes,  my  plans  for  an  enlightened  China.  I  am 
alone  in  my  hopes,  alone  in  my  strivings,  alone 
in  my  fears.  From  my  childhood  I  have  had 
only  women  and  eunuchs  about  me;  there  are 
days  when  I  cannot  bear  the  sight  of  them.  I 
never  see  a  man  except  in  audience  and  even  then 
he  is  old  and  senile,  or  past  middle  life,  with 
his  head  in  the  S'ung  dynasty  and  only  his  feet 
in  the  present,  stultified,  devoid  of  sense.  In  all 
the  land  here  and  beyond  the  seas,  there  is  no 
lonelier  man  than  I,  nor  one  so  friendless.  Well 
am  I  named  'The  Solitary  One.'  " 

His  gloomy  young  eyes  were  fixed  before  him 
on  the  ground. 


The  Puppet  Emperor  Appears        155 

"My  heart  grieves  for  your  Majesty."  There 
was  sympathy  in  A-lu-te's  tones  and  face,  but 
Kuang-Hsu,  who  looked  up  when  she  first  began 
to  speak,  recoiled  from  her  with  a  shocked  and 
startled  expression,  as  if  he  unexpectedly  had 
encountered  an  object  of  his  deepest  aversion. 

"Who  are  you?"  he  demanded  hoarsely. 

It  was  A-lu-te  who  now  looked  alarmed. 

"A-lu-te,"  she  murmured  in  frightened  tones. 

"What  is  your  ju  ming"  (milk  name).  "What 
is  your  father's  name?  Who  is  your  mother?" 

"My  father's  name?"  she  faltered.  "My 
mother?  I  do  not  know;  I  am  the  adopted  child 
of  Marquis  Tsing." 

' '  Lord  of  Ten  Thousand  Years,  your  slaves  seek 
you." 

The  loud  cries  reached  them  from  the  adjoining 
court. 

"Go,  make  haste.  You  must  not  be  seen  here," 
exclaimed  Kuang  Hsu. 

He  seemed  ashamed  of  his  sudden  harshness, 
for  he  added  hastily:  "For  a  moment  you  re 
minded  me  of  one  whom  I  have  cause  to  greatly 
distrust  and  dislike ;  the  resemblance  was  imaginary, 
I  no  longer  see  it.  Go." 

A-lu-te  fled  swiftly  along  the  path  bordering 
the  lotus-pond  and  slipping  behind  a  summer- 
house  at  the  farther  end  made  her  way  unobserved 
to  the  terraced  court  of  her  own  pavilion. 

Kuang  Hsu  in  the  meanwhile  went  slowly  back 
to  meet  his  anxious  servants.  "The  Chief  Eunuch 


156          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

has  come!"  they  gasped,  prostrating  themselves; 
"your  slaves  have  been  seeking  your  Majesty 
everywhere!" 

He  passed  them  without  replying.  When  he 
reached  the  inner  gate  where  he  had  knelt  while 
his  presence  was  announced  to  the  Empress  Dow 
ager,  he  found  it  tightly  closed  again  and  the 
Chief  Eunuch  gone.  The  Emperor  bit  his  lips 
in  anger.  He  unfastened  from  his  belt  a  hand 
some,  embroidered,  heavily  filled  purse  and  hand 
ing  it  to  one  of  his  attendants,  said:  "Pay  your 
way  in.  Seek  the  Chief  Eunuch  and  present  him 
with  this  purse.  Return  swiftly." 

Then  he  knelt  again  and  this  time  waited  until 
it  should  be  the  good  pleasure  of  the  most  degraded 
of  men  to  admit  the  Son  of  Heaven  into  his  own 
domain.  It  was  humiliating,  but  no  other  course 
was  open  to  him.  He  dared  not  return  to  the 
Forbidden  City  without  presenting  himself  to 
the  Empress  Dowager.  She  exacted  from  him 
strict  compliance  to  those  filial  acts  of  homage 
which  included  kowtowing  to  her  every  fifth  day 
at  the  Summer  Palace.  If  he  failed  in  these  ob 
servances  her  anger  would  know  no  bounds.  He 
did  not  wish  to  expose  himself  yet  to  the  fatal 
danger  of  her  unbridled  passions.  He  had  work 
to  do  for  China.  And  so  he  waited,  outwardly 
calm  and  patient,  inwardly  seething  with  hot  re 
sentment  and  taunting  himself  with  his  impotence 
to  defy  this  woman  and  her  eunuch.  Ten  minutes 
passed  before  the  gates  were  thrown  open.  The 


The  Puppet  Emperor  Appears        157 

Chief    Eunuch    appeared;    he    kowtowed    in    a 
manner  almost  mocking. 

"The  scoundrel!  the  dog!"  said  the  Emperor  to 
himself,  as  he  entered  the  court.  A  little  later 
he  was  in  the  private  palace  of  his  august  aunt. 
He  was  informed  that  her  Majesty  was  at  dinner. 
The  hour  was  early,  but  Tzu  Hsi  had  her  meals 
served  whenever  and  wherever  she  pleased.  On 
the  present  occasion  it  was  her  caprice  to  eat  in  a 
pretty  pavilion  overlooking  the  lake.  On  the 
table  before  her  were  arranged  rows  of  imperial 
yellow  bowls  ornamented  with  green  dragons  and 
with  the  character  designating  "long  life."  Eu 
nuchs  were  removing  with  concerted  movement 
golden  covers  from  bowls,  when  the  Emperor 
entered. 

"All  joy  be  with  you,"  he  said  kowtowing. 

The  Empress  Dowager  acknowledged  his  salu 
tation  with  perfunctory  indifference. 
.  "Are  you  hungry?"  she  asked. 

"No,"  replied  the  young  man.  He  hoped  she 
would  permit  him  to  depart.  He  detested  few 
things  more  than  eating  with  his  aunt.  More 
over,  court  etiquette  required  that  he  kneel  during 
the  entire  meal  and  *of  kneeling  he  had  already 
had  more  than  sufficient. 

"You  had  better  eat,  anyway,"  she  said  deli 
cately  lifting  with  gold  chop-sticks  bits  of  shark- 
fins  from  a  clear  soup.  Tzu  Hsi  was  something 
of  a  gourmand.  On  her  table  would  be  found 
every  delicacy  known  to  the  Chinese  culinary  art. 


158          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

She  herself  frequently  invented  choice  dishes 
delectable  to  her  palate.  Today  she  was  served 
with  Peking  ducks  which  had  been  fed  upon  wild 
garlic;  chickens  stuffed  with  pine  needles  to  lend 
them  a  delicate  flavour;  bamboo  shoots  with 
chopped  pork;  pancakes  made  of  mushrooms  and 
pork;  bread  fried  in  sugar  and  moulded  to  repre 
sent  butterflies,  flowers,  and  dragons;  many  vari 
eties  of  porridge;  and  all  the  fruits  of  the  season. 

The  Emperor,  at  her  insistence,  tasted  one  or 
two  of  these  dishes,  then  made  no  further  pretence 
of  eating. 

Tzu  Hsi,  on  the  contrary,  ate  heartily  and  with 
great  enjoyment. 

"I  hope,"  she  said,  hooking  the  jewelled  butterfly 
attached  to  a  silk  embroidered  napkin  more  se 
curely  into  her  collar,  ' '  I  hope  you  and  the  young 
Empress  have  not  been  quarrelling  again." 

"No,"  replied  her  nephew. 

He  knew  that  she  was  kept  informed  by  the 
young  Empress  herself  of  all  that  occurred  between 
them  and  was  quite  as  well  aware  as  he  that  for  a 
week  past  he  had  studiously  avoided  meeting  or 
even  seeing  his  first  wife.  Tzu  Hsi,  as  was  her 
custom,  dropped  the  subject  to  revert  to  it  later 
and  took  up  another. 

"That  decree  you  wish  to  sign  about  toleration 
for  the  religion  of  the  barbarians  in  our  Empire 
and  protecting  their  bonzes,  is  not  good;  it  can 
only  do  harm.  You  had  better  leave  the  matter 
alone  for  the  present." 


The  Puppet  Emperor  Appears        159 

Kuang  Hsu's  sensitive  mouth  suddenly  became 
a  straight  line.  For  a  moment  he  made  no  reply, 
then  he  said:  "We  are  of  the  East,  they  are  of  the 
West.  Is  that  any  reason  why  intercourse  be 
tween  us  should  not  be  honourable  and  harmo 
nious?" 

"By  all  means  let  harmony  exist  between  our 
selves  and  the  Western  barbarians,"  said  Tzii 
Hsi,  impatiently,  "but  let  them  cease  to  urge 
our  subjects  to  forget  the  religion  of  their  fore 
fathers  and  worship  barbarian  gods  from  which 
no  good  can  emanate.  This  discussion  has  grown 
old;  we  will  talk  no  more  about  it." 

"The  religions  of  the  West  have  for  their  ob 
ject  the  inculcation  of  virtue,  they  can  do  no 
harm,"  affirmed  the  Emperor,  "and  though  our 
people  be  converted  to  these  religions  they  con 
tinue  to  be  Chinese  subjects  and  to  obey  our  laws." 

Tzu  Hsi  stared  in  amazement  at  the  young  man 
who  dared  not  only  to  pursue  a  conversation  she 
had  commanded  should  cease,  but  even  to  contra 
dict  her.  She  could  not  brook  opposition  from 
anyone,  least  of  all  from  the  puppet  she  had  placed 
upon  the  throne. 

"Do  you  remember  whom  you  are  addressing 
and  to  whom  you  owe  your  present  position  be 
fore  the  nation  ? ' '  she  asked  bluntly.  Her  temper 
was  rising. 

"Yes!  To  your  Majesty  I  owe  everything  and 
shall  continue  to  owe  everything  even  to  my  life," 
said  the  Emperor  humbly.  Tzu  Hsi  bent  a  prob- 


160          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

ing  look  upon  him  as  if  she  fain  would  read  the 
very  heart  of  him. 

But  the  delicate  patrician  face  before  her 
showed  immobile  as  marble. 

"Do  you  permit  me  to  revert  to  the  subject?" 
he  asked  with  quiet  persistence. 

"Speak  then,"  she  crossly  consented. 

"Confucius  said:  'A  state  must  first  smite  itself 
and  then  others  will  smite  it.  This  is  illustrated 
in  the  passage  of  the  Fdi  Chid,  When  Heaven 
sends  down  calamities  it  is  still  possible  to  escape 
them.  When  we  occasion  the  calamities  our 
selves  it  is  not  possible  any  longer  to  live/  " 

* '  To  what  is  this  display  of  erudition  leading  ? ' ' 
she  asked  curtly. 

"To  the  thought,  nay  more,  to  the  conviction 
that  if  we  do  not  stop  the  frequent  murders  of 
foreign  bonzes — missionaries  they  call  them — we 
will  bring  down  upon  ourselves  the  revengeful 
anger  of  the  great  nations." 

"The  great  nations!"  she  cried  scornfully, 
"what  are  they?  Long  ago  I  was  told  by  my 
Grand  Councillors  that  the  greatest  of  these  so- 
called  great  nations  are  the  English,  a  barbarian 
race,  dwelling  on  a  petty  island  beyond  our  Em 
pire,  a  contemptible,  mannerless,  seafaring  people, 
possessing  no  thought  above  bartering;  a  people 
who  when  they  first  made  their  appearance  in 
China,  we  should  have  exterminated,  as  we  would 
exterminate  pestiferous  insects.  And  the  other 
nations  are  even  more  insignificant.  Their  petty 


The  Puppet  Emperor  Appears        161 

rulers  send  their  doltish  advisers  to  Peking, 
whom  we  do  not  deign  to  receive.  These  are 
the  great  nations,  whose  anger  you  fear!" 

''It  is  true  I  fear  their  anger,  which  is  cold 
blooded  and  calculating.  If  these  nations  are 
insignificant,  how  comes  it  that  they  have  com 
pelled  China  to  keep  open  her  doors  to  their 
merchants;  have  wrung  large  sums  of  money  from 
her  for  the  killing  of  petty  priests  of  their  religion, 
have  seized  valuable  territory  from  her  on  every 
trifling  pretence,  while  they  secretly  laugh  at  her 
incapacity  to  defend  herself  against  their  aggres 
sions.  At  any  moment  they  can  by  united  effort 
rend  China  asunder  as  wolves  rend  helpless  sheep. 
If  we  continue  to  excite  their  anger  they  will  do 
it." 

His  face  was  flushed;  he  spoke  with  vehemence 
foreign  to  his  usual  quiet  self-contained  manner. 

Never  since  she  sat  upon  the  Dragon  Throne 
had  Tzu  Hsi  listened  to  such  a  speech.  She  was 
angry  and  amazed,  and  something  else,  a  vague 
uneasiness,  which  was  almost  fear,  assailed  her; 
fear  not  for  herself,  but  for  this  land  of  hers,  which 
she  ruled  with  autocratic  finality,  which  she  bled 
ruthlessly  to  satisfy  her  abnormal  love  of  extra 
vagance  and  the  vicious  craving  for  aggrandize 
ment  of  her  favourites,  and  yet  which  she  loved 
with  sincerity,  after  her  own  selfish  fashion. 
Could  this  boy  who  never  left  the  Forbidden  City, 
unless  to  worship  at  the  tombs  of  his  ancestors, 
and  at  the  altars  of  the  Imperial  Temples,  or  to 


1 62          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

make  obeisance  to  her  in  the  Summer  Palace, 
who  was  surrounded  by  her  spies,  could  he  foresee 
danger  to  China  where  she  and  the  sage  statesmen 
of  the  realm  saw  nothing?  How  was  it  possible? 
Yet  he  spoke  with  a  conviction  which  had  the 
force  of  prophecy. 

"You  are  talking  strange  foolishness.  Crush 
China !  Rend  her  asunder  as  wolves  rend  helpless 
sheep!  What  effrontery  of  language  is  this! 
Who  has  dared  fill  your  mind  with  these  insane 
thoughts?" 

"No  one.  I  have  spoken  my  own  thoughts.  I 
have  followed  the  trend  of  China's  history  in  the 
past  and  studiously  read  the  books  of  the  Western 
people  which  have  been  translated,"  he  answered. 

"Why  do  you  demean  yourself  reading  perni 
cious  literature  written  by  ignorant  barbarians?" 

"I  read  their  books  in  order  to  master  the 
methods  which  have  enabled  them  to  humiliate 
my  country." 

There  was  a  silence  during  which  the  Empress 
Dowager  seemed  to  be  lost  in  uneasy  reflections. 

"What  are  these  books?"  she  finally  demanded. 

"Histories  for  the  most  part — also  geology, 
physiology,  zoology,  and  astronomy,"  replied 
Kuang  Hsu,  quietly. 

Again  the  Empress  Dowager  looked  at  him  in 
quick  amazement.  More  and  more  she  was  be 
ginning  to  realize  that  she  did  not  understand  this 
weakling  she  had  raised  to  the  Dragon  Throne. 
That  he  had  scholarly  tastes,  was  well  acquainted 


The  Puppet  Emperor  Appears        163 

with  the  Classics,  she  knew,  but  that  he  should 
read  books,  the  very  names  of  which  were  unknown 
to  her,  and  should  deduce  from  them  opinions, 
arrive  at  conclusions  bearing  on  China's  future, 
this  seemed  incredible  to  her.  She  could  not  with 
hold  from  him  a  certain  measure  of  admiration. 
He  was  of  her  blood  and  though  she  bore  him  no 
love,  she  felt  pride  in  the  power  of  his  intellect. 
Aunt  and  nephew  represented  the  two  opposing 
forces  at  work  in  China;  the  one  narrowly  conser 
vative,  determined  to  adhere  closely  to  the  century- 
old  order  of  things;  the  other,  liberal,  progressive, 
deprecating  the  blind  worship  of  petrifying  Chinese 
customs  and  habits  of  thought  which  held  his 
country  enslaved. 

Tzu  Hsi  did  not  know  that  in  Kuang  Hsu  and 
in  him  alone  lay  the  only  hope  of  the  Manchu 
dynasty.  She  more  than  any  one  realized  the 
greatness  of  his  intellect,  but  even  she  failed  to 
grasp  the  fact  that  this  Manchu  princeling  was  a 
genius  born  to  play  the  greatest  part  of  any  mon 
arch  who  ever  sat  upon  the  Dragon  Throne.  As 
he  knelt  submissively  before  her,  she  told  herself 
that  he  must  be  watched  more  closely  in  the  Yellow 
City;  that  while  his  force  lay  in  his  extraordinary 
mental  abilities,  hers  lay  in  her  will,  which  was 
iron.  As  long  :.s  he  was  subservient  to  her,  sub 
missive  to  her  leading  strings,  he  could  remain 
upon  the  throne,  but  when  he  ceased  to  be  docile 
she  would  act. 

In  the  meantime  he  must  be  kept  physically 


164          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

weak  lest  his  will  become  strong  as  his  bodily 
strength  increased. 

Today  his  conversation  had  made  a  deep  im 
pression  upon  her.  She  rose  abruptly  from  the 
table.  "Tell  the  court  ladies  they  can  come  in 
and  eat."  She  gave  the  order  to  a  eunuch;  then 
turning  to  the  Emperor  she  said :  ' '  I  have  changed 
my  mind  about  that  decree.  Sign  it.  You  may 
go  now." 

Kuang  Hsu  kowtowed.  He  was  leaving  with 
glad,  quick  steps  when  she  called  to  him:  "I  hear 
your  reader  is  ill." 

"Yes,"  admitted  the  young  man  reluctantly. 
He  had  tried  to  keep  all  knowledge  of  this  fact 
from  the  Empress  Dowager,  aware  that  she  would 
seize  the  opportunity  of  replacing  the  eunuch, 
whom  she  knew  to  be  loyally  attached  to  his 
master,  with  a  creature  of  her  own,  on  pretext  of 
doing  him,  the  Emperor,  a  favour. 

He  was  not  mistaken. 

"I  will  give  you  one  of  my  eunuchs,  a  good 
reader  and  familiar  with  the  Classics.  You  see 
how  carefully  I  consider  your  comfort,"  she  added 
with  a  bland  smile.  „ 

"Yes,"  said  the  Emperor,  and  forbore  to 
thank  her  for  the  attention.  She  was  about  to 
comment  on  this  neglect  when  Kuang  Hsu  sud 
denly  asked:  "Were  you  pleased  with  the  ladies 
who  presented  themselves  to  enter  the  Palace  of 
Feminine  Tranquillity?" 

Again    the    Empress    Dowager    experienced    a 


The  Puppet  Emperor  Appears        165 

sharp,  unpleasant  surprise.  Never  before  had 
the  Emperor  evinced  the  slightest  interest  in  the 
Manchu  maidens  who  came  to  be  selected  for 
concubines.  What  was  the  reason  of  this  sudden 
change?  A  disquieting  thought  flashed  through 
her  mind.  Had  he  seen  Wang-ti?  She  remem 
bered  the  Chief  Eunuch  had  accused  the  girl  on 
the  day  of  her  arrival  in  the  Palace  of  seeking  to 
show  herself  to  the  Emperor. 

"Do  you  want  to  see  the  maidens?"  she  asked 
suavely. 

"Yes,"  replied  Kuang  Hsu.  He  was  perhaps 
not  aware  that  a  shade  of  eagerness  had  crept 
into  his  voice. 

To  the  Chief  Eunuch  who  stood  near  listening 
to  the  conversation,  the  Empress  Dowager  said: 
"Conduct  the  young  ladies  who  are  being  in 
structed  in  court  etiquette  and  feminine  accom 
plishments  to  the  Throne  Room." 

"Your  Majesty  commands  that  all  the  young 
ladies  come?"  asked  the  Chief  Eunuch. 

"Yes,  all  who  are  in  the  pavilion  of  the  Purple 
Cloud,"  she  returned. 

The  Chief  Eunuch  understood,  as  she  intended 
he  should  understand,  that  the  girl  Wang-ti  was 
not  to  be  summoned.  As  Cobbler's  Wax  Li  de 
parted  on  his  errand,  he  murmured:  "The  Old 
Buddha  is  discerning,"  and  added  sneeringly: 
"What  has  come  over  our  Sir  Puppet  that  he 
interests  himself  in  the  new  candidates?  Has  he 
become  a  lover  of  women  of  a  sudden  ? ' ' 


1 66          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

In  the  meanwhile  the  Empress  Dowager  and 
Kuang  Hsu  repaired  to  the  Throne  Room  to  await 
the  arrival  of  the  new  concubines.  Tzu  Hsi 
seated  herself  by  a  small  table  and  began  throwing 
dice  from  a  gold  cup  without  bestowing  further 
attention  upon  her  nephew,  who  stood  silently  by 
watching  her.  She  made  three  unlucky  casts  and 
frowned  with  annoyance.  She  seized  the  cup 
again,  paused  an  instant  before  throwing  the  dice, 
while  her  bright  eyes  sought  the  jade  Buddha  in 
its  gold  shrine  on  an  adjoining  table.  Her  lips 
moved ;  then  she  made  a  cast.  Six  different  num 
bers  turned  up.  This  was  auspicious  luck.  Her 
face  cleared  and  she  became  good  humoured  once 
more. 

It  was  not  long  before  the  Chief  Eunuch  returned 
driving  before  him,  like  a  flock  of  frightened  geese, 
the  young  women.  They  made  deep  obeisance 
before  their  sovereign.  They  were  commanded 
to  pass  slowly,  one  by  one,  in  review  before  the 
young  Emperor.  Kuang  Hsu  scanned  their  faces 
slowly.  The  Empress  Dowager  and  the  Chief 
Eunuch  watched  him  curiously.  As  the  last 
maiden  filed  past,  he  turned  away  with  an  ex 
pression  of  chagrin  and  disappointment,  an  expres 
sion  not  lost  upon  two  pairs  of  keen  eyes. 

"Are  you  satisfied?"  inquired  the  Empress 
Dowager,  pleasantly,  when  the  young  women 
were  dismissed  and  again  conducted  to  the  pavilion. 

Kuang  Hsu  made  a  careless  gesture.  "Yes," 
he  replied. 


The  Puppet  Emperor  Appears        167 

After  a  momentary  silence  he  said  casually: 
"Only  ten  women  came.  I  understood  there 
were  eleven  who  had  been  accepted  by  your 
Majesty. " 

"Then  you  understood  wrong,"  returned  the 
Empress  Dowager  dryly. 

Before  Kuang  Hsu  left  the  Summer  Palace  to 
return  to  the  Forbidden  City,  he  ordered  one  of 
his  eunuchs  to  obtain  a  list  of  the  names  of  the 
young  Manchu  maidens  who  were  accepted  as 
candidates  for  the  imperial  harem.  There  were 
only  ten  names  on  the  list. 

Tzu  Hsi  summoned  the  Chief  Eunuch  into  her 
private  apartment. 

"What  is  it  Old  Buddha?"  asked  Cobbler's 
Wax  Li,  familiarly,  seating  himself.  Forms  and 
ceremonies  were  dropped  when  these  two  were 
alone  together. 

"The  Emperor's  reader  is  sick,"  she  said. 

"Did  I  not  tell  you  on  the  first  of  the  moon  that 
he  would  fall  sick?"  he  replied. 

"The  Emperor  says  he  will  soon  be  better," 
she  continued. 

"He  will  grow  worse,  not  better,"  affirmed  the 
eunuch  calmly. 

"Are  you  sure?" 

"I  am  sure." 

"The  young  Empress  has  told  me  that  this 
eunuch  reader  is  devoted  to  the  Emperor.  I  do 
not  wish  the  eunuchs  to  become  devoted  to  him." 

"Only  a  few  are  left  in  the  Yellow  City  who 


1 68          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

are  not  in  our  service.  They  will  not  remain  there 
long,"  said  Li  significantly. 

Tzu  Hsi  nodded,  a  comprehending  gleam  in  her 
eyes. 

"I  wish  to  send  the  Emperor  a  good  reader  to 
replace  the  sick  one.  Whom  do  you  suggest?" 

Li  considered  a  moment.  "The  servant  S'ang; 
he  is  not  stupid;  he  will  serve  us  in  the  Yellow 
City." 

"He  is  in  attendance  on  the  hsiao  Ktmiang"  (the 
little  girl);  this  was  the  pet  name  the  Empress 
Dowager  had  bestowed  upon  A-lu-te. 

"Let  Ho-Shui  wait  upon  her  instead,"  said  Li. 

Ho-Shui  was  one  of  the  followers  and  personal 
attendants  of  the  Chief  Eunuch,  an  ignorant  fellow 
with  a  sly  and  brutal  face.  Li  had  his  own  reasons 
for  desiring  to  make  this  change,  reasons  which 
for  once  had  nothing  to  do  with  augmenting  the 
army  of  spies  surrounding  the  young  Emperor  in 
the  Forbidden  City. 

The  Empress  Dowager  agreed  to  this  plan. 

"Bring  me  my  book;  I  will  select  a  lucky  day 
on  which  to  make  the  change." 

She  studied  the  book  attentively  for  a  few 
minutes. 

"Today,"  she  said;  "send  S'ang  to  the  Emperor 
and  let  Ho-Shui  attend  the  'little  girl.'" 

"Yes,  I  will  do  that,"  replied  the  Chief  Eunuch. 
"And  I  will  myself  accompany  S'ang  to  the  Yellow 
City  to  see  that  he  does  not  loiter  unduly  on  the 
road. " 


The  Puppet  Emperor  Appears        169 

Li  was  glad  of  an  excuse  to  absent  himself  from 
Court  for  a  day ;  he  was  anxious  to  interview  Lord 
Yin  at  the  earliest  possible  moment  on  the  subject 
of  his  niece. 

"That  will  not  be  necessary.  A  few  hours  more 
or  less  on  the  road  does  not  matter.  You  need 
not  go  with  him." 

"As  you  will,  Old  Buddha,"  returned  the  Chief 
Eunuch  with  assumed  indifference.  After  a 
moment's  reflection,  he  said,  "The  tribute  rice 
reached  Tung-chow  yesterday ;  it  arrived  in  Peking 
today.  I  will  go  in  to  be  present  at  the  weighing ; 
the  steal  was  enormous  last  year.  If  these  tri 
bute  shortages  are  not  stopped,  we  will  soon  be 
without  money  sufficient  to  meet  our  daily  ex 
penses." 

"Then  I  will  levy  on  your  little  hoard,"  replied 
Tzu  Hsi  maliciously.  "A  few  thousand  shoes  of 
Hupei  silver  will  put  an  end  to  that  difficulty." 

The  Chief  Eunuch  kept  an  impassive  face;  he 
knew  she  was  referring  to  the  "squeeze,"  more 
extortionate  than  any  heretofore  exacted,  that 
he  had  wrung  from  the  Hupei  deputy  who  had 
come  to  the  Palace  in  charge  of  the  tribute  from 
his  province.  She  had  heard  of  it  through  an 
enterprising  eunuch,  another  of  her  favourites, 
who  had  hoped  to  ingratiate  himself  more  with 
her  and  at  the  same  time  destroy  Li.  The  attempt 
had  been  a  failure,  for  Li,  warned  by  one  of  his 
own  creatures,  had  promptly  forestalled  the  Old 
Buddha's  anger  by  sharing  with  her  his  spoils, 


170          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

and  later  had  connived  so  successfully  against  his 
informer  that  he  obtained  her  consent  to  have  him 
beaten  to  death  for  some  paltry  offence.  Li's 
enemies  were  short-lived ;  no  one  had  ever  opposed 
him  with  success  and  no  opponent  was  too  small 
to  escape  his  vindictive  passion.  This  fact  being 
known  at  Court,  none  ventured  to  openly  array 
themselves  against  him. 

Tzu  Hsi  at  times  appeared  to  derive  a  malicious 
pleasure  by  threatening  to  despoil  her  Chief  Eunuch 
of  his  ill-gotten  wealth.  But  in  the  main  she 
treated  him  with  an  affectionate  familiarity  she 
seldom  deigned  to  bestow  upon  members  of  her 
own  family.  She  knew  well  that  Li,  cruel,  vin 
dictive,  corrupt  though  he  was,  yet  was  wholly 
devoted  to  her  and  served  her  with  unswerving 
fidelity. 

"All  I  have  is  yours  to  do  with  as  you  will,  Old 
Buddha,"  he  said.  "I  have  in  silver  taels " 

"There,  there,  I  care  not  what  you  have  in 
silver  taels — keep  them,  I  do  not  need  them. 
But  you  I  do  need,  and  today  you  must  stay 
here.  The  measuring  of  the  tribute  rice  can  wait. 
I  have  been  worried  enough  with  affairs  of  state.  I 
want  a  little  relaxation  and  amusement .  See  to  it ! " 

This  was  usually  a  congenial  task  to  Li,  but  to 
day  it  irked  him  exceedingly.  With  difficulty 
he  restrained  his  impatience  and  forced  his  face  to 
assume  an  expression  of  pleasure. 

"Was  the  little  girl  sleeping  quietly  when  you 
saw  her?"  asked  the  Empress  Dowager  abruptly. 


The  Puppet  Emperor  Appears       171 

"Yes,"  replied  the  Chief  Eunuch  and  smiled 
grimly  as  he  recalled  the  rage  he  had  witnessed. 

"By  this  time  she  will  have  recovered  from  her 
ailment.  Tell  her  to  attend  me.  I  want  every 
one  to  have  a  happy  day.  Arrange  the  program 
carefully." 

"I  will  see  to  it.  But  I  fear  that  Lady  Wang-ti 
will  not  be  well  enough  to  attend  you.  She  looked 
white  as  she  lay  asleep,  like  one  sick  and  exhausted. " 
He  wished  to  keep  these  two  apart  as  much  as 
possible,  until  he  had  determined  upon  the  best 
method  of  getting  rid  of  the  girl,  for  if  his  embry 
onic  suspicions  concerning  her  proved  to  be  correct, 
her  presence  in  the  Palace  was  a  danger  to  his 
power  greater  than  any  he  had  yet  encountered. 
"The  physicians  prescribed  absolute  quiet,"  he 
reminded  her. 

"For  three  hours.  She  has  had  them.  Let  her 
come  and  enjoy  herself  with  the  rest  of  the  Court," 
retorted  Tzu  Hsi.  She  had  no  mind  to  forgo  the 
pleasure  which  the  society  of  A-lu-te  afforded  her. 

"You  did  well  not  to  permit  the  Emperor  to 
see  her,"  said  Li  calmly. 

The  Empress  Dowager  looked  at  him  quickly. 
"You,  too,  have  had  that  thought?"  she  asked. 

"What  thought,  Old  Buddha?  Tell  me  what 
it  is,  I  will  have  it  forthwith,"  he  answered  gaily. 

"Well,  then,  that  she  is  too  attractive,  too  intel 
ligent  to  be  risked  near  the  Emperor";  she  spoke 
slowly  with  puckered  brows. 

"And  she  is  too  well  versed  in  history.     She 


172          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

might  seek  to  emulate  former  beautiful  concubines 
in  the  Palace.  She  has  qualities  of  mind  and 
character  that  render  her  a  dangerous  acquisition 
at  Court.  Take  my  advice,  Old  Buddha,  before 
it  is  too  late, — send  her  away."  The  Chief 
Eunuch  was  desperately  in  earnest. 

"No,  I  will  not  send  her  away.  She  defied  you, 
therefore  you  hate  her.  That  is  your  motive. 
Do  not  think  to  deceive  me.  Besides  have  I  not 
said  the  Emperor  is  not  to  see  her  ? ' ' 

The  Chief  Eunuch  laughed.  "After  all  we 
are  of  the  same  mind,  Old  Buddha,  in  regard  to 
her.  And  now  I  go  to  arrange  the  festivities  and 
to  send  S'ang  to  the  Yellow  City.  I  promise  you 
a  merry  day.  Let  nothing  trouble  your  serenity; 
your  old  watchdog  Li  is  here  to  guard  you." 

"Ride  a  fierce  dog  to  catch  a  lame  rabbit,"  she 
mocked  him  good-naturedly. 

It  was  perhaps  an  hour  later  when  S'ang  sought 
A-lu-te  in  her  pavilion.  With  a  rapt  look  shining 
in  his  eyes  he  told  her  that  his  prayers  had  been 
answered;  that  he  had  been  made  reader  to  the 
Emperor;  that  he  would  have  daily  intercourse 
with  him  and  with  that  daily  intercourse  would 
come  the  opportunity  to  tell  him  of  the  Gospel 
which  is  for  all  mankind.  "My  message  burns 
upon  my  lips  until  I  speak  it  and  he  hears  it.  I 
go  today." 

A-lu-te  wondered  miserably  whether  the  God 
of  the  foreigners  considered  S'ang's  prayers  more 
important  than  her  own,  that  he  should  give  him 


The  Puppet  Emperor  Appears        173 

aid  and  refuse  it  to  her.  But  had  he  refused  it? 
Tonight  she  would  know !  She  ran  to  her  dressing 
table  and  took  from  it  a  small  lacquer  box.  She 
opened  it,  and  emptying  the  contents,  replaced 
them  with  a  gold  hairpin  which  she  drew  from  the 
coils  of  her  thick  black  hair.  Then  she  hastily 
wrote  a  few  words  on  a  piece  of  paper  and  slipped 
it  under  the  hairpin.  She  handed  the  box  to  the 
eunuch. 

"S'ang,"  she  said,  "I  am  trusting  you,  even 
as  you  trusted  me.  Take  this  box  and  when  you 
reach  Peking,  before  you  go  to  the  Yellow  City, 
seek  out  an  old  woman  whose  name  I  will  tell  you 
and  where  to  find  her.  Give  her  this  box  and  say 
it  must  be  delivered  in  all  haste  to  one  whom  she 
knows.  Will  you  do  this  for  me  ?" 

"I  will  do  it,"  promised  S'ang.  A-lu-te  there 
upon  gave  him  the  needful  directions,  repeating 
them  twice  over,  that  he  make  no  mistake. 

' '  May  God  have  you  in  His  keeping.  Farewell, ' ' 
said  S'ang  and  left  the  pavilion. 

When  he  was  gone,  A-lu-te  suddenly  remem 
bered  that  she  had  insulted  this  all-powerful  God 
to  whom  S'ang  prayed,  and  who  was  the  God  of 
the  man  upon  whom  she  now  depended  for  help 
and  without  whose  aid  she  could  not  save  Fen-Sha. 
She  ran  to  the  corner  where  she  had  flung  the 
Bible  and  picked  it  up.  She  was  relieved  to  find 
it  had  not  been  torn,  or  the  binding  injured  by 
the  furious  stamping  of  her  little  feet.  She  laid 
the  Bible  on  the  K'ang  and  sinking  on  the  floor 


174          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

kowtowed  reverently  before  it.  Then  she  prayed 
that  the  foreigner  would  answer  her  urgent  sum 
mons  and  wait  for  her  by  the  green  and  yellow 
pagoda  in  the  Wilderness  Park  near  the  western 
wall  of  the  Summer  Palace  that  night. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

THE   SUMMONS 

A  FEW  hours  after  A-lu-te  entrusted  S'ang  with 
her  urgent  message  to  Follingsbee,  Betty  was 
leisurely  taking  her  morning  tea  and  toast.  Then 
she  wrote  in  her  journal. 

Not  everyone  who  keeps  a  journal  is  an  egoist, 
though  it  may  safely  be  assumed  that  every  egoist 
keeps  a  journal.  Two  potent  factors  incite  the 
journal  habit  in  a  young  woman:  a  feeling  of 
loneliness  and  one  of  happiness. 

Betty  was  happy.  Every  morning  when  she 
wakened,  every  hour  during  the  long  pleasant 
days,  every  night  of  dinners,  dances,  and  moon 
light  garden-parties  happiness  radiated  from  her. 
There  is  something  infectious  in  happiness,  and 
Betty  soon  became  the  most  popular  young  wo 
man  in  Peking.  No  entertainment  was  complete 
without  the  presence  of  her  joyous,  winsome  person. 
Elderly  diplomats  and  aspiring  young  ones  vied 
with  one  another  in  seeking  her  company.  Even 
middle-aged  married  ladies  with  youthful  cavaliers 
in  their  train  almost  had  it  in  their  hearts  to  like 
her.  ' 


176          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

Betty  described  in  her  journal,  with  facile 
girlish  pen,  the  social  whirl  in  which  she  took  so 
prominent  a  part.  She  drew  word  pictures,  inac 
curate  for  the  most  part,  but  never  unkind,  of 
the  members  of  the  legations  and  the  Imperial 
Maritime  Customs.  And  she  devoted  pages  to 
Sir  Robert  Hart's  dinner-dances  in  her  honour 
and  to  his  famous  Chinese  brass-band. 

In  Betty's  journal,  Follingsbee  was  mentioned 
only  at  the  end  of  each  day's  entry,  and  in  a  man 
ner  meant  to  be  casual  and  impersonal.  Yet  like 
a  postscript  in  a  woman's  letter,  his  name  consti 
tuted  the  most  important  part  of  her  chronicles. 
:  She  now  closed  the  book  and  sat  with  elbows 
resting  on  the  table,  her  lips  smiling  and  her  eyes 
with  a  soft  brightness  in  them,  staring  at  the  wall. 

A  childish  voice  angrily  expostulating  broke  in 
upon  her  revery.  The  door  was  burst  open  and 
Tommy,  the  secretary's  little  boy,  appeared.  He 
and  Betty  were  fast  friends. 

"The  head-boy  twied  to  keep  me  out,  but  I 
wouldn't  let  him,  I  knowed  you  would  like  to 
thee  me,"  he  declared. 

"Of  course,"  said  Betty,  tucking  her  journal 
carefully  away. 

"I  know  a  thecret,"  he  announced  and  added 
promptly:  "Thall  I  tell  it  to  you?  Thall  I?" 

He  earnestly  hoped  Betty  would  say  "yes"  and 
was  dreadfully  afraid  she  would  say  "no."  The 
little  missionary  boy  who  came  to  play  with  him 
was  not  above  that  very  meanness. 


The  Summons  177 

He  was  relieved  when  Betty  answered:  "Yes, 
dear,  do  tell  me." 

"I  tan't,"  he  replied  grandly,  preparing  to 
thoroughly  enjoy  himself  while  Betty  teased  to 
be  told.  But  that  trying  young  lady  only  said: 
"Oh!  can't  you?" 

"No,  I  tan't,"  Tommy  repeated,  wiggling  on 
the  edge  of  his  chair,  impatient  for  the  fun  to  begin. 

Betty,  realizing  that  something  was  expected 
of  her,  asked:  "Is  it  about  your  birthday?" 

"Nop,"  shouted  Tommy  gleefully.  "I'th  about 
Mr.  Follingsbee?" 

"Mr.  Follingsbee?"  Betty's  interest  was  not 
assumed  now.  She  spoke  eagerly.  "What  was 
it,  Tommy?  Won't  you  tell  me?" 

"Tan't,"  reiterated  the  small  boy,  his  face 
beaming  with  delight,  "it  ith  a  thecret." 

"Did  Mr.  Follingsbee  tell  you?" 

"No!    An  old  woman  did  tell  me " 

"What  old  woman?" 

"I  don't  know.  I  wath  playing  outside  the 
Legation  and  she  had  yam-cakes  to  thell.  She  did 
give  me  two  big  cakes  for  nothing " 

"What  did  she  tell  you?"  Betty  asked. 

But  Tommy  was  not  to  be  caught  by  such  crude 
strategy. 

"The  thecret,"  he  said,  his  tongue  in  his  cheek 
and  hugging  his  leg  in  an  ecstasy  of  delight.  The 
fun  had  finally  begun. 

"Now,  Tommy,  you  are  going  to  tell  your  Betty, 
aren't  you? "  she  coaxed  him  softly,  her  slim  young 
xa 


178          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

arms  about  his  neck.  Few  could  have  resisted 
such  sweet  wheedling,  but  Tommy  was  made  of 
sterner  stuff  than  most  of  his  sex.  "Nop!"  he 
said  with  joyous  firmness.  "I  arn't." 

"Oh,  very  well, ' '  returned  Betty.  ' '  If  you  won't 
tell  me  I  shan't  give  you  any  candy.  I  bought  a 
box  at  Kierulf's yesterday . ' '  Kierulf  was  a  Dutch 
man;  he  kept  one  of  the  two  foreign  stores  in 
Peking.  These  stores  were  allowed  on  sufferance 
by  the  government  as  a  convenience  to  foreign 
residents,  though  the  Chinese  of  wealth  patron 
ized  them  for  watches,  clocks,  and  mechanical 
toys. 

Betty  opened  a  box  of  French  crystallized  fruit 
and  gave  Tommy  one  tantalizing  glimpse  of  its 
luscious  contents. 

"How  many  can  I  have?"  he  inquired,  visibly 
weakening. 

"Three  large  ones." 

With  small  legs  wide  apart  and  earnest  face, 
Tommy  bent  over  the  box.  The  business  of 
selecting  three  large  sugar  plums  was  a  serious 
one  requiring  time  and  careful  thought.  Finally 
he  made  his  choice  and  popped  the  biggest  sugar 
plum  in  his  mouth. 

"Now,"  said  Betty,  "what  did  the  old  woman 
tell  you?" 

Tommy,  true  to  his  bargain,  proceeded  to  relate 
as  lucidly  as  a  sticky  mass  of  sugar-fruit  adhering 
to  his  sharp  little  teeth  permitted,  how  the  woman, 
after  giving  him  the  yam-cakes,  had  asked  him  if 


The  Summons  179 

he  could  keep  a  secret,  and  being  assured  that  he 
could,  had  thrust  into  his  hands  a  small  package, 
at  the  same  time  exacting  a  promise  from  him  not 
to  show  it  to  the  servants  but  to  hasten  with  it 
to  the  master  of  the  American  Legation  and  beg 
him  to  give  it,  without  delay,  to  Mr.  Follingsbee, 
she  herself  having  forgotten  where  he  lived. 

"Did  you  give  the  package  to  father?"  inquired 
Betty  eagerly. 

"Nop — I  couldn't — cauthhe  went  to  the  Yamen 
thith  morning  with  the  interpreter." 

Tommy  was  always  conversant  with  Legation 
affairs. 

"What  did  you  do  with  the  package?"  asked 
Betty  anxiously. 

"I  dug  a  little  hole  under  the  bambooth  in  the 
flower-garden  and  played  the  package  was  a  deader 
and  I  did  bury  it." 

"Quick,  Tommy!  Show  me  exactly  where  you 
dug  the  hole,"  cried  Betty. 

Seizing  the  boy's  hand  she  ran  with  him  into 
the  garden.  A  coolie,  at  work  with  hoe  and  rake 
by  the  very  clump  of  bamboos  Tommy  had  indi 
cated,  stooped  suddenly  and  picked  something 
up  from  the  ground.  The  boy's  quick  eye  saw 
the  action.  He  broke  from  Betty  and  rushed  at 
the  man. 

"Oh,  you  rabbit!  you  servant  of  hell!"  shrieked 
Tommy  in  the  vernacular;  he  spoke  it  as  well  as  a 
Peking  native  and  quite  as  forcibly.  "Drop  that! 
It's  mine!" 


i8o '        The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

The  man  grinned. 

Tommy  was  a  general  favourite  with  the  Lega 
tion  servants. 

When  Betty  came  up,  the  coolie  bent  his  knee 
to  her,  then  shuffled  off.  But  Tommy  planted 
himself  squarely  before  him. 

"Your  mother  was  a  beggar,  your  father  was  a 
temple  coolie,  you  are  accursed  of  Buddha  for 
digging  in  my  ground  and  taking  my  property. 
Remove  it  from  your  dirty  sleeve  and  give  it  to 


me." 


Perhaps  if  Betty  had  not  been  there  the  man 
might  laughingly  have  pushed  Tommy  aside  and 
made  off  to  the  servant  quarters  with  his  find. 
But  he  now  thrust  his  hand  up  the  wide  sleeve  of 
his  blue  blouse  and,  drawing  forth  a  torn,  dirty 
package,  handed  it  to  the  boy. 

"Here  it  is,  little  master,"  he  said.  "I  found 
it  in  a  hole  under  the  bamboos.  Since  it  is  yours 
why  should  I  keep  it?" 

"Since  it  is  mine  you  would  of  course  not  wish 
to  keep  it,"  returned  Tommy  politely.  He  was 
perfectly  familiar  with  Chinese  methods  of  face- 
saving.  He  trotted  off  with  Betty  to  the  Minister's 
office,  tightly  grasping  his  recovered  property. 

Mr.  Danford  had  returned.  He  listened  quietly 
while  Tommy,  urged  by  Betty,  repeated  his  story. 

Having  told  his  tale  he  stepped  grandly  up  to 
the  Minister,  the  package  in  his  outstretched 
hands.  It  slipped  from  his  little  fingers;  a  piece 
of  paper  fell  out  and  a  gold  hairpin,  such  as  native 


The  Summons  181 

women  of  wealth  wear,  rolled  onto  the  floor. 
The  Minister  looked  at  this  gold  bauble  surprised, 
displeased,  even  with  anger.  Had  Follingsbee 
been  mixed  up  in  a  vulgar  intrigue  with  some 
Chinese  woman  who  had  taken  this  method  of 
communicating  with  him? 

But  with  a  moment's  reflection  he  dismissed  the 
thought.  He  picked  up  the  gold  pin  and  returned 
it  to  its  box. 

"My  boy,"  he  said  to  Tommy,  "you  have  done 
right  to  keep  the  promise  you  made  to  the  old 
woman."  Tommy  flushed  with  pleasure,  but  his 
little  face  fell  when  the  Minister  added:  "Only 
another  time  don't  accept  packages  from  street 
pedlars  to  deliver  in  the  Legation.  That's  not 
your  business." 

He  opened  the  door  and  shook  hands  with 
grave  politeness  with  the  child  as  he  ushered  him 
out. 

No  one  observed  a  paper  flutter  from  the  office 
floor  into  the  court. 

Mr.  Danford  closed  the  door  and  returned  to  his 
desk  where  Betty  was  still  standing  immobile  and 
silent.  Before  either  of  them  spoke  Tommy  was 
back  again  clutching  a  piece  of  paper.  This  time 
he  was  accompanied  by  Mr.  Collins,  the  Legation 
interpreter.  The  latter  was  smiling  broadly. 

"Tommy,"  he  said,  "has  found  a  Chinese 
billet-doux  in  the  court,  which  he  insists  upon 
giving  you,  sir.  I  read  it  under  the  impression  that 
it  pertained  to  official  matters.  This  is  what  it 


1 82          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

says:  'Remember  your  promise.  Meet  her  who 
sends  the  gold  hairpin,  tonight  at  the  hour  of  the 
Rat,  by  the  green  and  yellow  pagoda  close  to  the 
western  wall  of  the  Wilderness  Park.'"  He 
laughed.  "A  Chinese  love  intrigue,  an  elope 
ment — what?  I  wonder  which  of  the  Legation 
servants  is  the  gay  Lothario?" 

The  Minister  did  not  echo  his  laugh.  There 
was  something  in  his  countenance  which  caused 
the  interpreter  hastily  to  suppress  his  merriment. 

He  took  the  paper  Tommy  was  stolidly  holding 
out  to  him  and  thrust  it  back  into  the  box  with  the 
gold  hairpin.  There  came  flooding  to  his  mind 
certain  rumours  which  had  reached  him  concern 
ing  Follingsbee,  rumours  to  which  heretofore  he 
had  endeavoured  to  give  scant  heed  and  no 
credence.  Now  it  was  different;  he  had  forced 
upon  him  the  vulgar  evidence  of  Follingsbee's 
low  intrigues  with  native  women.  His  disap 
pointment  in  the  young  man's  character  was  in 
proportion  to  the  disgust  he  felt,  which  was  very 
great. 

"Do  you  want  me  this  morning,  sir?"  inquired 
the  interpreter. 

"No — not  till  after  tiffin,"  replied  the  Minister 
shortly. 

"You  are  not  going  to  the  races,  then?"  The 
interpreter's  tones  conveyed  aggrieved  surprise. 

Mr.  Danford  made  an  impatient  movement. 
"I  forgot  for  the  moment — you  need  not  return." 

The  interpreter  bowed  and  left  the  office  taking 


The  Summons  183 

Tommy  with  him  in  obedience  to  a  gesture  from 
his  chief. 

"Father,"  said  Betty,  with  a  queer  little  catch 
in  her  voice,  "please  send  Foo-ling  immediately 
with  this  box  to  Mr.  Follingsbee." 

The  Minister  wheeled  about.  "On  my  word, 
Betty,  you  surprise  me";  his  voice  was  biting. 
"Do  you  think  I  am  here  to  forward  love  tokens 
from  native  women  to  young  men,  even  when  the 
latter  happen  to  be  Americans?" 

"Then  I  will,"  declared  Betty,  reaching  for 
the  box.  Without  a  word  Mr.  Danford  swept  the 
package  into  a  drawer  of  his  desk,  turned  the  key, 
and  dropped  it  in  his  vest-pocket. 

"You  won't  let  me  have  it?  And  you  won't 
sent  it  to  Jack?"  cried  Betty. 

"Exactly — I  won't  let  you  have  it  and  I  won't 
send  it  to  the  young  man  you  are  pleased  to  call 
'Jack. '  You  have  stated  the  case  correctly. 
By  the  way,  how  long  is  it  since  you  have  taken 
to  calling  Mr.  Follingsbee  'Jack'?  " 

"Oh,  quite  a  long  time,"  returned  Betty  airily. 

"You  will  oblige  me  by  not  doing  so  in  the 
future."  And  the  Minister  bent  over  his  desk 
again.  It  was  an  indication  that  as  far  as  he  was 
concerned,  their  conversation  was  concluded. 

"I  will  call  him  anything  you  like,  if  you  will 
only  forward  that  box.  You  see,  father,"  she 
continued  hurriedly,  fearing  a  second  emphatic 
refusal,  "I  know  all  about  the  young  wToman  who 
sent  it.  It  is  a  very  important  message." 


1 84          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

"You  will  be  good  enough  to  explain  how  it 
happens  that  you  know  anything  concerning  this 
matter,  also  from  whom  you  acquired  your  infor 
mation." 

'Why   from   Jack — I   mean   Mr.    Follingsbee, 
of  course." 

' '  Indeed !    And  what  did  he  say  ? ' ' 

"I  am  sorry,  father  dear,  but  I  can't  tell  you. 
I  promised  Ja — that  is,  I  mean  Mr.  Follingsbee 
particularly  desired  that  you  should  know  nothing 
about  it." 

;  "And  I  particularly  desire  that  from  this  day 
on  you  have  absolutely  no  intercourse  with  Mr. 
Follingsbee.  You  are  not  to  receive  him  when 
he  calls;  if  he  writes  you  are  not  to  reply  to  his 
notes;  if  you  meet  him  elsewhere  you  are  to  avoid 
speaking  to  him." 

1 '  Oh,  father !     Do  you  mean  that  ? "  cried  Betty. 

"Emphatically — yes,"  returned  the  Minister. 

"But  I  must  give  him  that  message,"  she  ex 
postulated.  She  was  very  near  to  tears. 

Mr.  Danford  made  no  reply. 

"May  I?"  asked  Betty  with  unaccustomed 
meekness. 

"No." 

Mr.  Danford  was  the  mildest,  the  most  lenient 
of  fathers.  Betty  had  never  encountered  from 
him  opposition  to  her  smallest  whims  or  wishes; 
but  now  she  found  herself  suddenly  confronting 
a  new  parent,  one  who  was  stern,  inflexible, 
authoritative. 


The  Summons  185 

Silently  she  crossed  the  office  and  stood  by  the 
door  leading  into  the  drawing-room.  Then  she 
turned.  Her  face  was  pale  and  her  lips  trembled 
a  little.  "Father,"  she  said  slowly,  "I  intend  to 
tell  him  about  that  message  this  afternoon  at  the 
races." 

"You  are  at  least  frank.  I  will  be  equally  so. 
If  you  disobey  me  in  this  matter,  I  will  send  you 
home  to  your  Aunt  Lavinia." 

Betty  gasped.  She  was  prepared  for  much 
but  not  for  this.  To  give  up  the  gaieties,  the 
happiness  of  her  life  in  Peking,  to  bury  herself  in  a 
dull,  little  Illinois  village  with  her  Aunt  Lavinia 
— her  love  for  this  relative  was  of  a  very  nega 
tive  quality — and  above  all,  to  leave  Follingsbee, 
filled  her  with  dismay.  She  experienced,  for  the 
first  time  in  her  young  life,  a  lively  sense  of  awe 
of  her  father,  together  with  a  conviction  that  his 
threat  was  not  an  idle  one. 

She  went  to  her  own  room,  locked  the  door,  and 
dropping  in  a  chair,  rested  her  chin  on  her  hand 
and  thought.  At  the  end  of  ten  minutes  she  had 
made  up  her  mind.  There  was  determination  in 
the  lines  about  her  pretty  mouth;  but  her  eyes 
were  misty  with  the  expression  of  a  child  that 
knows  it  will  be  hurt. 

She  changed  into  her  habit.  A  half -hour  later 
the  headboy  announced  the  arrival  of  "five 
piecee  gentlemen."  They  had  come  to  ride  with 
Betty  to  the  races. 

She  found  her  father  already  mounted  and  wait- 


1 86          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

ing  when  she  appeared  in  the  court  with  her  escort. 
She  avoided  his  gravely  questioning  glance  and 
placing  her  small  foot  in  the  hand  of  a  young 
Englishman  sprang  lightly  into  her  saddle.  Then 
laughing  and  chatting  she  led  the  way  out  of  the 
Legation  gates. 

The  race-course  of  the  foreigners  lay  five  miles 
from  Peking  in  an  easterly  direction.  On  a  slight 
elevation  not  far  from  the  grand  stand,  a  crowd 
of  inquisitive  Chinese  had  gathered  to  watch  the 
sports  of  the  foreigners. 

The  first  secretary  of  one  of  the  legations  was 
strolling  up  and  down  the  road  with  a  suave  smile 
and  a  horsewhip;  he  treated  the  gaping  celestials 
indiscriminately  to  both  when  they  ventured  to 
intrude  too  near  the  forbidden  precinct  of  the 
pavilion.  The  secretary  was  always  polite,  even 
when  most  cutting. 

The  pavilion  was  already  crowded  when  our 
little  calvacade  arrived.  No  form  of  entertain 
ment  was  more  popular  in  society  circles  of  the 
legations  and  Customs  than  the  semi-annual 
Peking  races.  Gentlemen  were  their  own  jockeys, 
except  in  the  last  race  when  the  mafoos  were  al 
lowed  to  ride  their  masters'  ponies  trained  by 
themselves. 

Betty  noted  with  mingled  feelings  of  relief  and 
disappointment  that  Follingsbee  was  not  on  the 
pavilion,  nor  was  he  among  the  men  grouped  close 
to  the  track. 

Eight  ponies  were  entered  for  the  first  race. 


The  Summons  187 

They  were  ridden  by  members  of  the  English, 
French,  and  Russian  legations  and  of  the  Imperial 
Maritime  Customs.  The  riders  were  dressed  in 
white  jockey  suits  with  sleeves  and  caps  of  brilliant 
colours. 

On  the  pavilion,  ladies,  staid,  elderly  diplomats, 
and  young  men  were  all  alike  eagerly  leaning 
forward  to  watch  the  start. 

The  first,  second,  third,  and  fourth  races  were 
run,  and  still  Follingsbee  did  not  appear.  Tiffin 
was  served  in  the  large  room  of  the  pavilion. 
With  the  metallic  click-click  of  busy  knives  and 
forks  upon  well-filled  plates,  came  the  sound  of 
lively  talk  and  laughter.  Softly  treading  servants 
replenished  the  wine-glasses  and  healths  were 
drunk  and  responded  to. 

The  young  Fourth  Assistant  B.  of  the  Customs 
was  called  upon  to  answer  a  toast  to  the  jockeys. 
He  rose,  a  little  less  red  than  the  sleeves  of  his 
coat,  opened  his  mouth  automatically  several  times, 
but  when  no  words  issued  from  his  parted  lips, 
he  dropped  into  his  seat  again  amidst  a  round  of 
applause,  bravos,  and  hear-hears! 

A  good-looking  young  German,  blissfully  con 
tent  by  reason  of  a  fair-haired  maiden  beside 
him,  and  an  elaborate  tiffin  within  him,  sighed  vol- 
canically:  "Mein  Fraulein,  ich  liebe  sie — Ach  Gott, 
wie  bin  ich  salt  /" 

After  tiffin  the  races  were  continued.  It  was 
late  in  the  afternoon  when  Follingsbee  on  a  foam- 
spattered  horse  dashed  up.  He  flung  the  reins  to 


1 88          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

an  attending  mafoo,  instructed  him  to  give  his 
animal  a  rub-down,  then  mounted  the  pavilion 
steps  two  at  a  time  to  join  Betty. 

Mr.  Danford  was  discussing  certain  fine  points 
in  chess  with  the  young  Belgian  Charge  d' Affaires 
— they  were  both  enthusiasts  in  the  game — and  he 
failed  to  notice  the  arrival  of  Follingsbee.  He  had 
in  fact  ceased  to  expect  him  and  had  abated 
something  of  his  vigilance. 

Not  so  Betty.  She  had  been  straining  her  eyes 
for  hours  past  scanning  the  white  dusty  road 
watching  for  him.  Now  she  deliberately  detached 
herself  from  the  group  of  young  men  about  her 
and  met  Follingsbee  as  he  advanced,  smiling, 
with  outstretched  hand,  to  greet  her. 

"Mr.  Follingsbee!"  she  said  in  a  low,  hurried 
voice,  "she  has  sent  for  you!" 

He  understood  immediately.  "Her  message 
came  here?"  he  exclaimed  in  surprise.  "And  I 
have  been  waiting  all  day  in  my  rooms!  I  only 
left  half  an  hour  ago — I  wanted  to  ride  home  with 
you.  Where  is  the  messenger  ?" 

Without  replying  to  his  question  Betty  asked: 
"How  does  she  sign  her  notes?" 

"She  doesn't  sign  them.  She  sends  them  with 
a  gold  or  silver  hairpin,  such  as  Manchu  women 
wear." 

' '  I  knew  it !  I  knew  it ! "  she  cried  in  an  excited 
but  suppressed  voice.  "Father  thinks  it  was  a 
love-letter  he  was  asked  to  forward  and  I  couldn't 
tell  him  anything  because  I  promised  you  not  to. 


The  Summons  189 

He  was  very,  very  angry."  Before  Follingsbee 
could  give  expression  to  his  amazement  she  plunged 
into  the  story  of  Tommy's  package  and  how  it 
occurred  that  the  Minister  had  become  acquainted 
with  its  contents. 

Follingsbee  stared  aghast;  he  had  not  thought 
of  the  possibility  of  A-lu-te's  message  being  de 
livered  at  the  Legation  or  falling  into  the  hands  of 
the  American  Minister.  That  Mr.  Danford  should 
have  placed  the  construction  he  did  upon  the  note 
struck  him  like  a  blow  in  the  face.  He  set  his  jaws 
hard,  as  if  to  suppress  something  seeking  utterance. 

He  felt  a  small  hand  touch  his  arm,  and  looked 
into  a  pair  of  blue,  anxious  eyes. 

"Go,"  said  Betty.     "You  will  be  late." 

He  did  not  move.  He  had  quick  perceptions 
and  was  elusively  conscious  that  Betty  was  keeping 
something  back.  His  eyes  were  intent  on  hers 
and  persistently  held  them. 

"You  have  not  told  me  all,"  he  said. 

"No,"  she  was  surprised  into  admitting. 

Again  Follingsbee  understood. 

"You  were  forbidden  to  speak  to  me!"  he 
exclaimed. 

She  nodded  her  pretty  head  soberly. 

"Betty,"  his  voice  was  lowered  to  a  whisper, 
"if  I  am  not  back  in  Peking  within  a  week,  tell 
your  father  everything.  If  I  am  back  I  will  tell 
him  myself  and  something  more — that  I  love  you, 
Betty !  Whatever  happens,  dear  heart,  remember 
that  I  love  you." 


The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

He  crushed  her  hands  in  his,  then  turned  and 
sprang  down  the  pavilion  steps,  mounted  his  tired 
horse,  and  galloped  off.  He  was  suddenly  seized 
with  a  nerve-racking  fear  that  before  he  could 
reach  his  quarters,  change  into  Chinese  garb,  and 
cover  the  fourteen  miles  to  the  Summer  Palace, 
he  would  be  too  late  to  help  A-lu-te.  As  his  horse 
tore  over  the  dusty  highway,  Mr.  Danford  chanced 
to  look  that  way  and  saw  him. 

The  next  moment  Betty's  arm  was  linked  in 
his.  She  said  demurely  to  the  Belgian  Charge 
d'Affaires:  "I  cannot  lead  the  cotillion  with  you 
at  the  Bal  Poudre  next  month  after  all.  Father 
says  I  must  return  home  to  my  Aunt  Lavinia  to 
complete  my  education." 

It  was  Betty's  way  of  informing  her  father  that 
she  had  disobeyed  but  had  not  deceived  him. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

IMPERIAL   PLEASURES 

THE  f£te  which  the  Chief  Eunuch  arranged  for 
his  royal  mistress  had  never  been  equalled  in 
brilliancy  in  the  Summer  Palace.  Although  ap 
parently  he  had  but  a  few  hours  in  which  to  make 
the  necessary  arrangements,  he  had,  as  a  matter  of 
fact,  completed  his  preparations  long  ago.  It  was 
one  of  his  many  clever  characteristics  that  he 
prepared  in  advance  entertainments  of  great 
splendour;  then  presented  them  to  the  Court  in 
the  guise  of  impromptu  affairs  and  so  excited  the 
admiration,  wonder,  and  delight  of  Tzu  Hsi.  The 
revenues  of  state,  the  appropriations  for  the  navy, 
were  expended  on  these  festivals,  but  the  powerful 
Chamberlain  had  no  need  to  fear  the  royal  dis 
pleasure  at  this  misuse  of  public  funds.  On  the 
contrary,  after  each  fete,  his  influence  increased 
with  the  Empress  Dowager  and  he  became  more 
and  more  indispensable  to  his  pleasure-loving  mis 
tress.  On  this  occasion  his  arrangements  had  been 
made  on  a  gigantic  scale.  The  flower-filled  courts 
were  converted  into  great  rooms;  brilliantly 
painted  poles,  supporting  transverse  beams, 

191 


192          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

painted  in  the  same  design,  surrounded  each  court 
and  formed  the  support  for  roofs  of  matting, 
beautiful  in  texture  and  colour.  Beyond  these 
flowering  semi-shaded  rooms  where  fountains  of 
perfumed  water  played  and  birds  in  silver  cages 
trilled  their  pretty  songs,  a  large  oblong  court  had 
been  converted  into  a  crowded  Peking  street  scene. 
There  were  gaily  decked  silk  and  embroidery  shops, 
curio  shops,  pawnbrokers  establishments,  restau 
rants,  tea-houses,  wine-taverns.  Eunuchs  attired 
as  merchants  and  clerks  sat  behind  counters,  or 
stood  before  the  doors  of  these  shops  to  entice  the 
passer-by  to  enter.  Pedlars  and  barbers  wandered 
up  and  down  the  street,  bawling  their  trade; 
waiters  from  restaurants  shouted  the  names  of 
savoury  dishes  ready  to  be  served. 

When  the  Empress  Dowager,  accompanied  by 
her  ladies,  came  upon  this  novel  and  animated 
scene,  this  replica  of  a  crowded  Peking  business 
street  (but  without  the  unpleasant  features  of  dirt 
and  beggars),  she  was  immensely  entertained. 
She  entered  the  silk  and  curio  shops  and  drove 
hard  bargains  with  the  clerks.  She  purchased  won 
derful  jade  trees  and  jewelled  ornaments  from  the 
silversmiths,  and  pawned  them  again  gaily  in 
the  neighbouring  pawn-shops.  She  sipped  tea  in 
the  tea-houses  and  ate  in  the  restaurants,  then 
returned  with  renewed  vigour  to  buying  and  bar 
gaining  in  the  shops.  She  was  full  of  charming 
gaiety,  and  A-lu-te,  whom  she  kept  close  by  her, 
was  as  gay  as  she;  the  exuberance  of  their  spirits 


Imperial  Pleasures  193 

was  infectious,  everyone  was  laughing,  joking, 
making  merry.  The  hours  sped  rapidly.  As  the 
day  advanced  and  before  the  new  amusement  had 
begun  to  pall  Li  begged  the  Empress  Dowager  to 
don  the  dress  of  Yan  Ling,  the  Goddess  of  Mercy, 
and  enter  her  chair,  to  go  where  another  fete 
awaited  her.  By  the  marble  terrace  bordering  the 
lake  near  the  Temple  of  Ten  Thousand  Buddhas, 
a  gigantic  barge  shaped  like  a  phcenix  was  moored. 
Joined  to  this  barge  by  cords  of  yellow  silk  were 
innumerable  small  boats  in  the  form  of  butterflies, 
fishes,  dragonflies,  and  swans,  so  ingeniously  con 
structed,  the  rowers  were  concealed  from  view. 
When  the  Empress  Dowager  and  her  ladies  were 
embarked,  Li  gave  the  signal  to  start ;  the  invisible 
rowers  plied  their  painted  oars,  the  yellow  ropes 
stretched,  and  the  fleet  slowly  glided  out  into  the 
lake.  A  blare  of  trumpets  sounded  from  among 
the  trees  on  the  shore.  Before  the  last  echo  died 
away,  a  thousand  voices  broke  into  a  triumphant 
song  of  praise  to  the  Goddess  of  Mercy.  Floating 
towards  the  phcenix  boat  came  two  enormous 
pink  lotus  blossoms.  The  petals  of  the  blossoms 
gradually  unfolded,  showing  a  beautiful  boy  and 
girl  holding  in  their  hands,  the  one  a  bottle  of 
jade,  the  other  a  willow  branch.  The  flowers 
slowly  closed  again ;  as  they  closed  the  boy  and  girl 
began  to  ascend  until  they  seemed  to  be  poised  on 
the  very  tips  of  the  lotus  buds.  When  they  were 
close  to  the  phoenix  boat,  they  stepped  on  board 
and  ranged  themselves  on  either  side  of  the  Em- 
is 


194          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

press  Dowager.  They  represented  the  two  at 
tendants  of  the  Goddess  of  Mercy  who  carry  for  her 
the  jade  bottle  and  willow  branch  with  which  she 
brings  the  dead  to  life  again. 

The  scene  pleased  Tzu  Hsi.  It  had  been  clev 
erly  and  artistically  contrived  and  was  subtly  flat 
tering  to  her  overweening  vanity. 

She  had  scarcely  time  to  extend  a  few  words  of 
praise  to  Li  when  a  great  raft,  hidden  beneath  a 
mass  of  beautiful  blooming  roses,  palms,  and  flower 
ing  trees,  to  represent  a  semi-tropical  island, 
appeared.  Pretty  little  thatched-roofed  fisher 
men's  huts  showed  amid  the  vines  and  trees.  The 
Chief  Eunuch  requested  the  Empress  Dowager  to 
explore  the  island.  In  the  huts  fanciful  costumes 
of  fisher-folk  were  found. 

The  Empress  Dowager  selected  one  of  these 
costumes  and  all  the  court  ladies  did  likewise. 
Thus  arrayed  they  went  at  Li's  request  to  the 
shores  of  the  island  to  fish. 

He  handed  to  each  a  fishing-rod;  that  of  the 
Empress  Dowager  was  made  of  gold  with  line  of 
yellow  silk  and  a  golden  hook.  The  court  ladies 
were  given  rods  of  bamboo  but  every  line  different 
in  colour. 

Tzu  Hsi  was  the  first  to  try  her  luck.  She  cast 
her  line  into  the  lake.  When  she  drew  it  up  a 
beautiful  necklace  of  rubies  and  sapphires  hung 
from  the  hook.  With  an  exclamation  of  delight 
— Tzu  Hsi  was  extravagantly  fond  of  jewels — 
she  examined  the  treasure,  then  threw  it  over  her 


Imperial  Pleasures  195 

neck  and  swung  her  line  again  into  the  water, 
while  she  waited  with  eager  expectancy  for  the 
premonitory  jerk  indicative  of  a  nibble.  This 
time  she  brought  up  a  large  golden  oyster.  She 
was  at  no  pains  to  conceal  her  disappointment — the 
necklace  had  prepared  her  for  something  more 
artistic  and  of  greater  intrinsic  value.  The  Chief 
Eunuch,  noting  her  expression,  smiled.  "Will 
your  Majesty  deign  to  open  the  oyster? "  he  asked. 
In  the  golden  shell  lay  a  pearl,  large  as  a  hen's 
egg,  in  shape  and  colour  more  perfect  than  any 
pearl  Tzu  Hsi  had  ever  seen. 

"Beautiful!  Beautiful!"  she  cried.  "Li,  are 
you  a  wizard  that  you  cause  fish  like  this  to  swim  in 
my  lake?" 

' '  Will  your  Majesty  angle  some  more  ?  Perhaps 
there  are  other  fish  enviously  waiting  to  be 
caught?" 

' '  Let  me  see  if  they  will  bite  as  well  for  someone 
else, "  and  turning  to  the  court  ladies  she  said, 
* '  Come,  one  of  you  fish  now. ' '  Chou-Chau,  always 
fearful  lest  she  fail  promptly  to  obey  a  royal  com 
mand,  hastily  flung  in  her  line,  which  was  black. 
She  pulled  it  up  with  difficulty;  everyone  crowded 
near,  eager  to  see  what  fair  fortune  such  heaviness 
portended.  The  next  minute  a  shriek  of  horror 
from  Chou-Chau  and  screams  of  laughter  from 
the  others  greeted  her  catch.  A  dead  rat  hung 
limply  from  her  line.  Tears  of  merriment  rolled 
down  the  Empress  Dowager's  cheek.  Li  grinned 
wickedly. 


196          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

* '  The  Lady  Chou-Chau  is  unfortunate  in  having 
a  black  line;  fishes  do  not  like  black. " 

"Then, "  cried  the  Empress  Dowager  still  laugh 
ing,  "let  us  see  how  they  like  pink. " 

A  dainty  little  person  stepped  forward  and,  not 
without  trepidation,  tried  her  luck.  To  her  delight 
she  captured  a  pair  of  handsome  jade  ear-rings. 
And  so,  one  after  another,  the  young  women  fished 
and  each  one  caught  a  jewel  of  more  or  less  value 
according  as  the  Chief  Eunuch  gauged  her  standing 
at  Court  and  her  favour  with  the  Empress  Dowager. 
His  method  of  managing  this  fishing  bout  was 
sufficiently  simple.  A  young  eunuch  was  posted 
on  the  other  side  of  the  island  raft;  at  a  pre 
arranged  signal  from  Li,  he  dived  under  the  raft, 
attached  the  fish  to  the  line,  according  to  instruc 
tions  already  received,  and  breathlessly  returned 
again  to  await  the  next  signal. 

A-lu-te  had  contented  herself  watching  the 
others,  but  now  the  Empress  Dowager  cried, 
' '  Come,  Wang-ti,  fish !  fish !  Your  line  is  green  and 
I  feel  sure  the  fishes  will  favour  a  colour  which  is 
like  their  own  lake  when  stirred  by  the  wind. " 

Privately  A-lu-te  was  of  the  opinion  that  they 
would  show  the  same  aversion  to  green  they  had 
already  displayed  to  black.  She  was  resolved, 
however,  not  to  gratify  the  Chief  Eunuch  by  any 
expression  of  dismay,  or  horror,  even  should  she 
too  find  a  dead  rat  affixed  to  her  line.  She  exulted 
when  she  fished  from  the  depths  an  exquisite 
bracelet  encrusted  with  jewels.  She  did  not  know 


Imperial  Pleasures  197 

that  Li  was  merely  biding  his  time ;  that  he  was  not 
yet  ready  to  strike.  The  sport  continued  with 
great  animation  for  several  hours,  during  which 
period  the  Empress  Dowager  added  jewels  of  great 
magnificence  to  a  supply  which  already  far  sur 
passed  in  value  and  beauty  the  crown  jewels  of 
any  European  monarch.  The  eunuch  who  did 
the  necessary  diving  and  swimming  having  sud 
denly  died  of  exhaustion,  this  part  of  the  entertain 
ment  ceased.  A  sumptuous  banquet  was  now 
spread,  and  all  regaled  themselves  with  much 
merriment.  All,  that  is,  except  poor  Chou-Chau, 
who  was  looking  with  timid  envy  at  the  handsome 
fishes  caught  by  her  more  favoured  companions. 
A-lu-te's  gaiety  was  feverish  in  its  intensity;  she 
was  the  life  of  the  party.  The  Empress  Dowager 
was  so  delighted  with  her  vivacity  that  in  a 
moment  of  reckless  munificence  she  offered  A-lu-te 
her  choice  of  jewels  from  among  the  precious  stones 
she  had  come  into  possession  of  that  day.  Every 
one  gasped  with  envy  and  astonishment  for  no  one 
doubted  that  the  new  favourite  would  select  the 
priceless  pearl  shaped  like  a  hen's  egg  which  the 
Empress  Dowager  had  admitted  was  the  most 
magnificent  of  all  her  treasures.  Many  stole 
covert  glances  at  the  Chief  Eunuch,  to  see  how  he 
would  take  this  last  caprice  of  the  royal  lady,  a 
caprice  which  gave  to  one  who  was  not  even  a 
princess  of  the  blood  a  jewel  fit  only  for  a  sovereign 
to  wear  and  for  which  the  Chief  Eunuch  had  sent 
emissaries  throughout  the  Orient  to  find  and  had 


198          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

paid  untold  millions  to  buy.  But  Li  knew  his 
mistress  too  well  to  feel  other  than  maliciously 
pleased  at  the  unexpected  turn  affairs  had  taken. 
Tzii  Hsi  was  sincere  today  in  offering  to  give 
away  this  wonderful  jewel,  but  tomorrow  she 
would  be  furious  against  the  recipient  of  her 
munificence;  he  would  feed  the  fuel  of  her  rage  by 
accusing  the  girl  of  arrogance  and  presumption  in 
daring  to  own  a  gem  suitable  alone  for  the  adorn 
ment  of  the  great  rulers  of  the  world.  But  his 
satisfaction  was  short-lived.  A-lu-te  without  be 
stowing  a  second  glance  upon  the  wealth  so  tempt 
ingly  offered  her  said  gaily : 

"Jewels  formed  for  her  Majesty  would  look  as 
out  of  place  upon  her  handmaiden  Wang-ti  as 
dragon  robes  upon  a  vendor  of  pots  and  pans. 
Instead  of  pearls,  therefore,  she  asks  the  privilege 
of  continuing  near  her  Majesty  and  being  one  of 
those  who  keep  watch  over  her  royal  slumbers 
tonight." 

Tzu  Hsi  was  enchanted  with  this  speech;  the 
court  ladies  were  dumbfounded,  for  not  only  did 
this  girl  refuse  a  gem  which  meant  wealth  to  her 
and  her  entire  family,  but  she  asked  instead  to  be 
permitted  to  perform  a  duty  which  they  all  hated 
only  a  degree  less  than  that  of  waking  her  Imperial 
Majesty.  As  for  the  Chief  Eunuch  his  vexation 
was  too  great  to  be  concealed.  He  sneered  openly. 
But  the  Empress  Dowager  failed  to  perceive  it; 
she  was  engaged  in  graciously  granting  A-lu-te 's 
request. 


Imperial  Pleasures  199 

Twilight  fell  and  the  Court  embarked  once  more. 
Over  the  lake  luminous  lotus  flowers  floated  like 
fairy  lights  guiding  the  fleet  to  shore.  Here 
hundreds  of  eunuchs  were  kneeling,  holding 
aloft  glowing  lanterns  to  form  the  characters  of 
"Peace,"  "Prosperity,"  and  "Long  Life." 

When  the  Empress  Dowager  landed  the  eunuchs 
rose  and,  still  holding  high  their  lanterns,  formed  a 
procession  and  lighted  the  way  to  the  theatre, 
where  the  Court  listened  to  a  cleverly  dramatized 
historical  poem  written  by  Tzu  Hsi.  It  was  late 
when  the  Empress  Dowager  finally  sought  her  bed. 


CHAPTER  XV 

A   DESPERATE  MIDNIGHT  VENTURE 

A-LU-TE,  watching  in  the  Empress  Dowager's 
bedroom,  felt  her  heart  throbbing  with  anxiety 
and  impatience.  Would  the  Great  Old  Buddha 
never  go  to  sleep  ?  Would  she  be  for  ever  closing 
her  eyes  only  to  open  them  again  to  scold  the  slave- 
girls  who  were  rubbing  her  ankles  with  sweet  smell 
ing  ointments?  Sweet  smelling  ointments!  As 
if  the  room  were  not  already  filled  to  suffocation 
•with  the  cloying  scents  shed  from  those  silk  em 
broidered  sachet  bags  of  jasmine,  bergamot,  roses, 
and  musk,  dangling  from  the  sandalwood  frame 
of  the  imperial  bed. 

A-lu-te's  head  felt  dull  and  heavy  in  the  over 
burdened  atmosphere.  The  room  was  not  large; 
eight  persons  besides  the  Empress  Dowager  were 
in  it.  Every  night  two  slave-girls  were  on  duty 
here;  their  work  was  superintended  by  two  amahs*, 
who  in  turn  were  under  constant  observation  of 
two  eunuchs,  while  two  court  ladies  were  delegated 
to  watch  them  all. 

Outside  the  door,  on  the  cool  tiled  floor,  six 

1  Maids. 

200 


A  Desperate  Midnight  Venture      201 

eunuchs  squatted,  guardians  of  the  entrance  to  the 
imperial  bedchamber. 

Tonight  the  Old  Buddha  was  overtired  and  in 
spite  of  the  skilful  massage  of  the  slave-girls  she 
could  not  sleep.  Even  a  great  Empress  is  not 
powerful  enough  to  compel  the  capricious  god  of 
slumber  to  obey  her  summons.  Tzu  Hsi  tossed 
to  and  fro  on  her  bed ;  she  twisted  and  turned,  she 
stretched  out  her  feet  and  drew  them  up  again; 
when  the  slave-girls  ceased  rubbing  but  an  instant, 
to  pursue  the  imperial  limbs  in  their  restless 
journeyings,  she  commanded  the  amahs  to  slap 
their  faces,  which  was  done  with  such  vigour,  the 
girls'  yellow  cheeks  glowed  with  scarlet  hue.  Nor 
were  they  the  only  ones  to  suffer  the  royal  dis 
pleasure.  Chou-Chau's  cough,  which  she  man 
aged  all  evening  to  suppress  by  supreme  effort, 
now  refused  to  be  longer  controlled  and  broke  out 
in  a  long  shaking  paroxysm. 

In  the  dim  light  of  the  room  the  blazing  eyes  of 
the  Empress  Dowager  resembled  two  balls  of  fire. 
' '  Stop  that  noise ! ' '  she  shrieked,  ' '  stop  it !  Do  you 
think  because  you  are  the  daughter  of  the  Viceroy 
Su  you  can  keep  me  awake  with  your  noise  ?  Ask 
Li  what  happened  to  the  concubine  Wah-Ping 
and  be  grateful  if  you  escape  her  punishment!" 

Chou-Chau  nearly  burst  a  blood-vessel  in  efforts 
to  stifle  the  cough.  Trembling  with  fear  and  pain, 
she  buried  her  head  in  a  cushion  to  smother  the 
sound. 

A-lu-te  stepped  in  front  of  her,  that  the  Empress 


2O2          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

Dowager  might  not  continue  to  be  irritated  with 
the  sight  of  her  cough-racked  body. 

"You  need  not  try  to  shield  her — she  is  not 
worth  it.  She  has  been  in  the  Palace  two  years 
and  in  all  that  time  has  never  done  one  thing  right. 
Her  miscellaneous  uselessness  is  marvellous. — 
You  are  hurting  my  ankle  with  your  clumsy 
rubbing,"  she  cried  angrily  to  the  slave-girl 
nearest  her.  "Tomorrow  you  shall  have  a  taste 
of  the  bamboo. " 

"Great  Old  Ancestor,  may  your  handmaiden 
speak?"  asked  A-lu-te. 

j  The  Empress  Dowager  did  not  answer,  she 
turned  her  face  to  the  wall.  To  be  angry  is  to  be 
miserable  and  Tzii  Hsi  was  very  miserable  indeed ; 
she  was  utterly  tired  out  and  her  inability  to  sleep 
had  well-nigh  driven  her,  as  well  as  her  attendants, 
distracted. 

It  was  frequently  her  custom,  when  sleep  was 
long  in  coming,  or  when  she  woke  from  restless 
dreams,  to  rise  and  go  out  into  the  great,  quiet 
night,  where  the  beauty  of  the  stars  and  the  soft 
sounds  of  the  night-world  soothed  her  irritated 
nerves,  and  the  poet  and  the  artist  in  her  tri 
umphed  over  her  unrest.  But  tonight  she  was 
overtired  and  wanted  nothing  so  much  as  to  sleep, 
and,  because  she  could  not  lose  herself  in  slumbers 
in  the  scent-laden  atmosphere,  she  was  angry  as  a 
spoilt  and  wilful  child  is  angry  when  she  is  denied 
that  which  she  wants. 

For  a  while  no  sound  was  heard  in  the  room, 


A  Desperate  Midnight  Venture      203 

except  the  low,  musical  tinkling  of  small,  gaily 
painted  glass  pendants  touched  by  a  breeze  which 
crept  through  the  windows.  Suddenly  the  Em 
press  Dowager  said,  "Speak  then,  and  be  quick 
about  it." 

A-lu-te  approached  the  bed.  Her  voice  was  low 
and  with  that  soothing  quality  which  helps  to 
calm  sick  persons  and  querulous  children.  "This 
handmaiden  thinks  she  can  cause  sleep  to  close 
the  eyelids  of  the  Great  Old  Ancestor,  if  she  will 
command  the  slave-girls  to  yield  their  place  to  her." 

"Very  well,  let  them  go — they  are  useless  as 
flies,  have  less  brains  and  are  more  horrid!" 

The  slaves  were  grateful  to  A-lu-te  for  relieving 
them  and  quickly  left  the  imperial  bedside  to  lean 
wearily  against  the  wall  in  a  far  corner  of  the  room. 

A-lu-te,  with  firm,  but  gentle  fingers,  began  to 
stroke  the  soles  of  the  Empress  Dowager's  feet. 
Not  being  frightened  as  the  slaves  had  been,  her 
touch  was  neither  nervously  weak  nor  did  it 
press  unduly  hard.  As  her  hand  passed  steadily 
back  and  forth  over  the  soles  of  the  slender  little 
feet,  the  Old  Buddha  felt  soothed,  her  irritability 
was  replaced  by  a  feeling  of  pleasant  calm.  Her 
eyelids  began  to  droop.  "Wang-ti, "  she  said 
drowsily,  ' '  I  shall  soon  sleep ;  you  have  soothed  my 
heart  as  well  as  my  aching  limbs ! "  Then,  rousing 
herself,  she  added  with  that  melody  of  voice  and 
gracious  tenderness  of  manner  few  could  resist, 
"Was  I  cross  with  you  just  now,  Hsiao  Kuniang? 
No  ?  I  am  glad  of  that ;  I  do  not  want  to  be  cross 


2O4          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

with  you ;  I  want  you  to  love  me  all  the  time,  every 
little  minute  of  every  hour. "  And  she  closed  her 
eyes  and  slept  like  a  tired  child. 

Something  stirred  in  A-lu-te's  breast  as  she 
stood  there  still  stroking  the  slender  feet.  She 
felt  suddenly  that,  cruel,  passionate,  as  she  knew 
this  autocratic  Empress  to  be,  who  now  lay  sleep 
ing  peacefully,  soothed  by  her  touch,  she  would 
not  willingly  harm  a  hair  of  her  head,  and  that, 
except  Fen-Sha,  there  was  no  one  she  loved  so 
much.  She  felt  angry  and  puzzled.  Why,  she 
asked  herself,  could  she  not  hate  this  woman  who 
exercised  her  almost  unlimited  power  over  her 
subjects  as  caprice  and  passion  dictated? 

A  slight,  almost  imperceptible,  sound  caused 
A-lu-te  to  turn  quickly,  her  ringers  to  her  lips, 
cautioning  silence.  The  sound  had  come  from 
the  slave-girls,  who,  seeing  their  royal  mistress 
asleep  at  last,  had  sunk  to  the  floor,  their  heads 
thrown  back  against  the  wall,  their  heavy-lidded 
eyes  closed. 

A-lu-te  glanced  at  the  others.  It  was  apparent 
that  the  slave-girls  had  but  followed  the  example 
of  the  amahs  and  the  eunuchs  who  were  now  no 
longer  standing,  but  reclining  on  the  floor,  fast 
asleep. 

Chou-Chau  alone  was  waking. 

A-lu-te  noiselessly  drew  close  to  her  and  whis 
pered  in  her  ear,  "Do  you  sleep  also;  you  are  more 
tired  than  they;  I  will  keep  watch  and  will  rouse 
you  ere  they  wake. " 


A  Desperate  Midnight  Venture      205 

With  a  faint  sigh  of  relief,  the  half-sick  and 
wholly  exhausted  girl  pressed  A-lu-te's  hand  in 
silent  gratitude  and,  cushioning  her  head  on  the 
pillow  which  had  helped  to  smother  her  cough,  she 
too  dropped  asleep. 

A  derisive  little  smile  hovered  about  A-lu-te's 
mouth,  as  her  gaze  rested  on  these  guardians  of  the 
royal  bedchamber.  Cautiously  she  crossed  the 
room,  raised  the  heavily  embroidered  portieres, 
and  peered  into  the  outer  chamber;  the  six  eunuchs 
were  slumbering  peacefully  stretched  full  length 
upon  the  floor. 

A-lu-te  returned  softly  to  her  post.  Her  move 
ments  had  been  catlike  in  their  noiselessness. 
The  Empress  Dowager  was  sleeping  on  her  side; 
her  left  arm  lay  upon  the  rose-silk  sheet,  her  other 
arm  was  hidden.  A-lu-te  could  not  see,  much  less 
touch  the  ring,  upon  the  forefinger  of  that  hidden 
right  hand. 

The  minutes  passed.  The  Empress  Dowager 
did  not  stir;  her  sleep  was  profound.  What  if  the 
eunuchs  wakened  before  she  had  accomplished  her 
purpose?  Or  one  of  the  amahs  or  the  slave-girls 
roused  themselves  to  watch?  The  mere  thought 
made  her  heart  stop  beating.  The  Old  Bud 
dha  must  be  made  to  turn.  Slowly,  cautiously, 
A-lu-te  slipped  her  fingers  under  the  hand  rest 
ing  upon  the  pink  cover,  and  stroked  the  palm. 
The  sleeper  stirred  uneasily  and  moved  her 
hand.  A-lu-te  stopped,  then  repeated  the  strok 
ing.  Again  the  Empress  Dowager  stirred.  A-lu-te 


206          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

waited,  scarcely  daring  to  draw  breath.  Then 
slowly,  with  a  little  sigh,  the  slumberer  turned, 
and  lay  upon  her  back  with  both  hands  resting 
limply  on  the  rose-silk  sheet.  Faintly  in  the  dim 
light  the  jade  seal  ring  glistened.  A-lu-te  stared 
at  it  fascinated.  This  was  the  ring  which  would 
save  Fen-Sha.  Would  it  slip  off  easily,  or  would 
she  have  to  coax  it,  gently,  persistently,  before  it 
consented  to  leave  that  small,  tapering  finger? 
Would  the  Old  Buddha  awaken,  alert  to  what 
was  passing? 

Chou-Chau  gave  a  feeble  little  hack;  even  in  her 
sleep  she  tried  to  suppress  the  cough.  The  sound 
startled  A-lu-te;  she  determined  to  hesitate  no 
longer.  She  dipped  her  fingers  in  the  ointment  the 
slave-girls  had  used,  and  softly  smeared  the  fore 
finger  of  the  Empress  Dowager's  right  hand. 
Then,  with  a  touch  so  delicate  it  might  have  been 
a  butterfly  poising  on  a  flower,  her  fingers  closed 
upon  the  ring.  Slowly,  carefully,  she  drew  it 
upward.  Suddenly  she  stopped,  crouching  on  the 
floor.  Someone  behind  her  had  moved.  What  if 
the  eunuchs  were  not  asleep,  but  only  feigning? 
They  were  cunning  like  most  of  their  kind;  that 
one  of  them  at  least  would  show  himself  malevolent 
toward  her,  she  did  not  doubt,  for  he  it  was  who 
had  been  so  terribly  whipped  because  he  had 
failed  to  escort  her  from  the  Palace  the  day  of  her 
arrival. 

Furtively  she  turned  to  look  at  him.  His  mouth 
had  dropped  open;  his  head  hung  limply  on  his 


A  Desperate  Midnight  Venture      207 

shoulders.     He  was  fast   asleep,   she   could  not 
doubt  it. 

She  rose  and  again  began  gently  to  slide  the 
ring  upward;  the  ointment  helped  to  move  it 
easily.  The  next  minute  A-lu-te  held  the  Empress 
Dowager's  private  seal  in  her  hand.  She  drew 
from  the  bosom  of  her  dress,  where  she  had  kept  it 
hidden,  the  paper  on  which  she  had  written  in 
vermilion  ink  the  order  for  Fen-Sha's  immediate 
release  from  prison.  She  trembled  so  violently,  she 
feared  she  would  drop  the  ring.  Clutching  it 
tightly  in  her  small  fist,  she  crept  noiselessly  to  the 
sandal  wood  cabinet  where  were  kept  the  brushes, 
ink,  writing  material,  and  wax  of  the  Great  Old 
Buddha.  Here  she  affixed  the  seal  to  her  paper. 
A  thrill  of  triumph  passed  over  her,  only  to  leave 
her  cold  again.  The  ring  must  be  slipped  back  to 
its  soft  resting-place;  the  six  eunuchs  in  the  outer 
room  must  be  passed,  and  swiftly,  unseen,  unheard, 
she  must  make  her  way  to  the  appointed  place — 
the  old  green  and  yellow  pagoda,  standing  beyond 
the  Wilderness  Park  near  the  western  walls  of  the 
Palace  inclosure,  where  the  American  was  waiting 
for  her.  Not  once  did  she  doubt  his  answer  to  her 
summons.  She  tucked  the  paper  back  into  her 
bosom,  then  glided  with  the  silent  movements  of  a 
feline  thing  to  the  imperial  bed.  So  intent  had  she 
become,  not  to  rouse  sovereign  or  servants,  she 
failed  to  notice  the  Empress  Dowager  had  turned 
again  in  her  sleep  and  lay  with  her  left  hand  upper 
most.  Very  carefully,  very  gently,  A-lu-te  tried 


208          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

to  slip  the  ring  back  upon  its  finger.  The  ring 
seemed  suddenly,  incomprehensibly,  to  have  grown 
smaller;  half-way  on  the  finger,  it  refused  to 
descend  farther.  Full  of  consternation,  A-lu-te 
removed  it  and,  not  knowing  what  else  to  do,  fear 
ing  to  linger  longer,  she  placed  the  ring  on  the 
second  ringer,  then  stole  swiftly  to  the  door. 
Only  a  few  flying  hours  remained  to  her,  before 
the  Palace  world  would  be  awake.  Chou-Chau 
coughed  again.  At  that  moment  A-lu-te  could 
have  strangled  her  to  prevent  another  sound 
escaping  from  those  sick,  drawn  lips.  With  one 
parting  glance  behind  her,  A-lu-te  raised  the  silken 
portieres  and  stepped  softly  into  the  outer  room 
where  the  six  eunuchs  lay  stretched  on  the  marble 
floor.  She  passed  them  boldly.  Should  they 
wake  and  see  her,  she  would  whisper  that  she  was 
seeking  a  lotion  to  stop  the  Lady  Chou-Chau 's 
coughing,  lest  it  disturb  the  Great  Old  Buddha. 
But  she  had  no  need  of  explanation,  the  six  stal 
wart  guardians  of  the  imperial  bedroom  did  not 
see  or  hear  her. 

Out  in  the  blue  night  at  last!  The  darkness 
engulfed  her;  she  could  not  see  a  hand's  breadth 
before  her.  She  stood  quite  still,  accustoming  her 
eyes  to  this  blackness.  Then  slowly,  one  by  one, 
she  discerned  the  phantom  forms  of  trees,  of 
shrubbery,  looming  vaguely  forth  in  the  night. 
She  groped  her  way  around  the  pavilion  to  the 
marble  balustrade,  where  the  white  steps  led  down 
to  the  lake.  The  tall,  slender  arch  surmounting 


A  Desperate  Midnight  Venture      209 

the  steps  and  which  in  the  daytime  looked  gaily 
picturesque  with  its  brilliant  colouring,  resembled 
now  a  dark  and  threatening  portal  leading  to  some 
dread  abyss.  % 

At  the  foot  of  the  steps,  a  small  imperial  barge 
lay  moored.  Groping  for  the  yellow  rope,  A-lu-te 
unfastened  it,  and  springing  into  the  barge,  seized 
the  long  pole  and  pushed  out  into  the  lake. 

The  friendly  stars  were  shining  down  on  her. 
The  world  somehow  seemed  less  dark  upon  the 
water.  Fen-Sha  had  often  told  her  that  the  bril 
liant  little  star  gleaming  so  gaily  among  her  dim 
mer  sister  stars  was  Chih  Nu  (Lyra) ,  the  patron  of 
weaving.  Chih  Nu  would  guide  her  safely  across 
the  lake,  for  was  not  weaving  a  domestic  art 
and  would  not  its  heavenly  patron  prove  kindly 
to  a  poor  maiden  seeking  to  save  her  lover?  And 
up  there  somewhere  in  the  blue  mysterious  vault 
dwelt  also  the  God  of  the  foreigner.  He  had 
helped  her  so  far,  surely  he  would  not  desert  her 
now!  The  gods  always  seemed  nearer  at  night, 
more  ready  to  comfort,  to  protect  those  who 
prayed  to  them. 

A-lu-te  dipped  the  long  pole  in  the  lake  and 
pushed  with  all  her  strength.  She  hadxto  reach 
a  little  wooded  island  which  was  connected  by  a 
long  marble  bridge  to  the  mainland  on  the  opposite 
shore.  Once  there,  the  rest  was  easy.  She  had 
but  to  skirt  the  Wilderness  Park  till  she  came  to  the 
green  and  yellow  pagoda  at  the  farther  end.  S'ang 
had  described  the  place  minutely  to  her;  she  could 
14 


210          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

not  fail  to  find  it.  No  guards  were  there;  they 
were  in  groups  of  four  and  six  by  the  palace  gates 
and  at  the  entrance  of  every  court.  Had  the  barge 
not  been  in  its  accustomed  place,  she  could  not 
have  left  the  court  of  the  imperial  pavilion  without 
a  challenge. 

Everything  had  been  in  her  favour  tonight. 
Even  the  poling  was  less  difficult  than  she  had 
feared;  perhaps  Chih  Nu  was  aiding  her,  or  per 
haps  it  was  the  God  of  the  foreigners.  These 
thoughts  lent  strength  to  A-lu-te's  arms.  She 
reached  the  island  and  leaping  ashore  attached  the 
yellow  rope  of  the  barge  firmly  to  a  tree.  Then 
she  sped  over  the  bridge  to  the  mainland.  She 
skirted  the  Wilderness  Park,  and  led  by  an  unerring 
instinct,  ran  tirelessly,  swiftly  on,  till  she  came  to 
the  green  and  yellow  pagoda  standing  close  to  the 
great  gloomy  wall,  a  colossal  black  serpent  encir 
cling  the  Summer  Palace. 

She  picked  up  a  tiny  stone  and,  throwing  it  over 
the  wall,  waited  with  raised  hand,  breathless,  like 
a  statue.  No  sound  reached  her  from  the  other 
side. 

Till  now  she  had  allowed  no  doubt  to  enter  her 
mind  that  Follingsbee  would  not  be  there.  But 
as  she  listened  in  vain  for  an  answering  pebble,  a 
palsy  of  fear  assailed  her.  If,  after  all,  this  for 
eigner,  this  college  friend  of  Fen-Sha,  whom  she 
had  been  told  to  trust  implicitly,  had  failed  her 
at  the  crucial  moment !  She  threw  a  second  stone, 
then  a  third,  without  result.  In  the  silence  of  the 


A  Desperate  Midnight  Venture      211 

night  she  suddenly  heard  a  faint  scraping  sound, 
then  something  dangled  loosely  from  the  wall 
above  her.  It  was  a  rope  ladder.  The  next 
moment  a  man  was  clambering  down.  , 

"I  have  come,"  he  whispered. 

A-lu-te  caught  her  breath  sharply  and  peered 
into  his  face. 

"It  is  you  then?"  she  asked,  and  added  exult- 
ingly.  ' '  You  have  kept  your  promise  to  come  to  me, 
no  matter  when  or  where  I  sent  for  you ! " 

''Yes,"  said  Follingsbee  quietly;  "how  can  I 
help  you?" 

She  took  from  her  gown  the  paper  and  handed 
it  to  him.  ' '  It  has  the  Empress  Dowager's  private 
seal  affixed  to  an  order  to  release  Fen-Sha  without 
delay,"  she  told  him. 

"Good, "  exclaimed  Follingsbee.  "I  have  ma 
ligned  her;  she  is  after  all  a  kinder-hearted,  better 
woman  than  I  took  her  to  be. " 

"She  is  all  you  took  her  to  be  and  more,"  re 
turned  the  girl  bitterly,  "or  would  I  have  to  steal 
out  in  the  night  to  ask  aid  of  a  stranger,  of  a 
foreigner?" 

Follingsbee  let  his  friendly  eyes  rest  upon  her, 
"A  foreigner,  yes — a  stranger,  no — for  can  the 
friend  of  your  betrothed  be  called  a  stranger?" 

"You  have  spoken  true,"  she  answered. 

He  did  not  ask  her  how  she  had  obtained  the 
order  for  the  release  of  Fen-Sha;  that  she  had  it 
was  sufficient  for  the  present.  It  behooved  him 
now  to  get  her  safely  back  to  Peking.  "Come," 


212          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

he  whispered  hurriedly,  "let  us  hasten.  My 
horse  is  hidden  in  a  grove  of  trees  below.  I  have 
brought  a  long  cloak  and  a  boy's  cap  for  you;  in  the 
dark  you  will  not  be  recognized  as  a  woman.  You 
will  ride;  I  will  lead  the  horse.  I  will  engage  a 
house-boat  outside  the  city  walls  at  a  place  I 
know  of.  Your  old  amah  will  be  waiting  there. 
You  will  travel  as  a  sick  foreigner  in  my  care — no 
one  shall  see  you — in  two  days  we  will  be  in  Tien 
tsin.  The  boatmen  will  be  well  paid  to  make  them 
hurry." 

A-lu-te  did  not  move.  ' '  Come, ' '  urged  Follings- 
bee,  "we  must  hasten.  " 

"You  have  said  it,"  she  returned,  "we  must 
hasten;  you  to  Tientsin — I  to  the  Palace. " 

"To  the  Palace, "  exclaimed  Follingsbee;  "surely 
you  do  not  mean  to  return  to  the  Palace!" 

A-lu-te  averted  her  face  lest  he  see  the  wild 
longing  which  was  there  to  fly  with  him,  straight 
to  the  shelter  of  her  lover's  arms.  If  for  a  moment 
she  faltered,  it  was  for  a  moment  only.  She  would 
not  hinder  by  her  presence  the  speed  of  his  journey 
to  Tientsin.  An  hour,  a  half -hour,  even  fifteen 
minutes  delay  might  mean  the  difference  of  life 
or  death  to  Fen-Sha. 

"Listen,"  she  .said  quickly  and  with  emphasis. 
"The  Senior  Secretary  of  the  Hing  Pu  is  even  now 
on  his  way  to  Tientsin  with  the  Empress  Dowager's 
decree,  commanding  Fen-Sha's  immediate  execu 
tion.  You  must  be  the  first  to  arrive.  Before 
another  night  sets  in  Fen-Sha  must  be  outside  the 


A  Desperate  Midnight  Venture      213 

prison  gates,  or  all  hope  of  saving  him  is  lost." 
In  a  few  graphic  words  she  told  him  of  the  scene  in 
the  Audience  Hall  between  the  Empress  Dowager 
and  the  Senior  Secretary. 

"When  did  the  Senior  Secretary  leave  Peking ?" 
demanded  Follingsbee. 

"He  had  audience  with  her  early  in  the  morning; 
she  ordered  him  to  travel  to  Tientsin  immediately." 

"How  did  he  go?" 

"  I  do  not  know,  but  he  is  an  old  man  and  cannot 
ride,  nor  would  he  travel  by  mule-litter,  for  that 
is  slow;  he  would  go  by  water;  you  yourself  have 
said  the  journey  can  be  made  in  two  days  and  he 
has  more  than  twelve  hours'  start  of  you."  Her 
voice  grew  sharp  with  the  fearful  anxiety  of  that 
thought.  "A  boat  will  not  help  us  now.  You 
must  ride, "  she  warned  him.  For  a  long  moment 
Follingsbee  made  no  reply.  He  was  engaged  in  a 
calculation  of  time  and  distance.  A-lu-te  mistook 
his  silence.  With  a  gust  of  passion  she  seized 
his  arm,  forgetting  the  training  which  taught  her 
that  the  mere  touching  of  a  man's  hand  was  an 
act  of  such  immodesty  no  maiden  of  good  repute 
would  be  guilty  of  it .  "  Speak ! ' '  she  cried,  shaking 
him.  "Speak,  and  tell  me  at  once  you  are  afraid 
to  enter  this  race  against  the  Senior  Secretary, 
afraid  to  do  what  I,  a  helpless  woman,  will  do,  if 
you  refuse. " 

Follingsbee  spoke  then,  but  as  one  continuing 
a  line  of  thought  aloud : '  *  Eighty  miles  of  land  road 
between  Peking  and  Tientsin.  The  English  have 


214          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

a  tradition  that  once  long  ago  Sir  Harry  Parkes 
covered  that  distance  in  a  single  day. " 

"And  what  he  did,  you  also  can  do — you  so  big, 
so  strong!  Is  it  not  so?"  She  was  close  to  him, 
looking  up  in  his  face  with  tender  glowing  eyes; 
the  shrillness  gone  from  her  voice,  which  was  as 
soft,  sweet,  alluring  as  that  of  a  lovely  child 
coaxing  for  what  it  wants. 

Follingsbee  started.  He  suddenly  became  aware 
of  what  heretofore  he  had  been  all  unconscious, 
namely,  that  this  slender  Manchu  young  woman 
was  not  only  beautiful,  but  seductive,  compelling, 
fascinating.  It  was  as  if  a  strong  light  suddenly 
shone  down  upon  her,  and  he  saw  for  the  first 
time  the  languorous  lids  of  her  dark  eyes ;  the  soft 
red  of  her  lips  like  a  double  carnation;  the  oval  of 
her  tender  cheeks.  She  drew  closer  to  him.  The 
faint  fragrance  of  the  scent-bags  at  her  waist 
seemed  to  become  stronger.  The  stillness  around 
was  intense ;  only  now  and  again  the  breath  of  the 
south  wind  sighed  past  them.  The  little  hands 
which  had  clutched  him  in  a  passion  of  anger  but  a 
moment  since  now  lay  lightly  on  his  arms  like  two 
white  doves  at  rest.  He  could  feel  the  soft  warmth 
of  them  through  his  sleeve. 

"You  will  help  me,  will  you  not  ? "  she  whispered. 
"See,  it  is  such  a  little  thing  I  ask,  only  a  swift  ride, 
over-long  perhaps  for  some,  but  not  for  you  who 
are  no  weakling,  but  a  man  such  as  woman  has 
ever  loved  since  man  and  woman  first  were 
made;  a  man  to  whom  she  turns  when  danger 


A  Desperate  Midnight  Venture      215 

threatens,  as  naturally  as  a  bird  seeks  its  nest  at 
sundown. " 

Standing  there  under  the  stars  alone  with  her, 
feeling  the  throbbing  of  her  heart  against  his  own, 
Follingsbee  could  have  sworn  that  there  was  not 
another  woman  in  the  world  comparable  to  her. 
He  did  not  know  the  Empress  Dowager,  so  his 
fascinated  fancy  carried  him  back  to  seek  through 
long  centuries  another  woman  who  had  dwelt  upon 
the  banks  of  the  green  Nile,  a  woman  whose  name 
alone  possessed  the  power  of  invoking  love  and 
desire.  Betty,  with  all  her  sweet  young  freshness, 
had  never  made  him  feel  like  this.  Indeed  to 
Betty  he  gave  no  thought.  A  musician  hearing 
in  the  valley  an  orchestra  play  superbly,  does  not 
stop  to  listen  to  the  sweet  piping  of  a  shepherd's 
flute  upon  the  hillside. 

' '  You  will  not  refuse  ? "  She  lifted  her  drooping 
eyelids  to  his  face.  He  bent  his  head  to  hers. 
Their  eyes  met;  Follingsbee,  startled  at  what  he 
saw,  drew  back.  It  was  as  if  the  cover  of  a  well 
had  been  swiftly  raised  and  he  gazed  down  into  the 
luminous  depths,  not  of  her  soul,  but  the  soul  of  all 
womankind  and  saw  that  which  lies  there  like  a 
bird  of  beautiful  plumage,  white,  iridescent,  pure, 
the  bird  of  unselfish  love,  which  never  stirs  unless 
roused  by  the  voice,  be  it  ever  so  faint,  of  some 
special  soul  calling,  the  voice  it  may  be  of  a  child, 
of  a  parent,  brother,  sister,  husband,  or  lover; 
then  it  starts,  flutters  its  wonderful  wings,  and 
flies  upward;  no  obstacle,  however  great,  can  bar 


216          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

the  way;  it  goes  forth  to  live,  to  die,  it  matters 
not  which,  for  the  soul  who  summoned  it  from 
its  slumbers.  Abashed,  awestruck,  Follingsbee 
turned  away.  No  words  were  needed  to  tell  him 
that  this  girl,  young,  beautiful,  alluring,  whose 
palpitating  heart  had  been  pressed  against  his 
own,  whose  warm  lips  were  whispering  to  him  in 
the  silent  night,  had  not  given  even  a  passing 
thought  to  the  man  by  her  side;  she  was  thinking  of 
one  in  a  Chinese  prison,  many  miles  away. 

"You  will  go?"  she  asked. 

"Yes." 

He  knew  his  pony  to  be  already  utterly  fagged 
with  the  fourteen  miles'  hard,  swift  run  that  night, 
and  he  knew  too  that  good  ponies  were  difficult 
to  procure  in  Peking  even  after  long  and  careful 
searching  and  impossible  to  find  in  the  poverty- 
steeped  villages  on  the  plains  between  the  Summer 
Palace  and  the  capital.  Yet,  in  spite  of  this 
knowledge,  he  promised,  and  he  intended  to  make 
good  that  promise. 

"Before  the  moon  ripens,  Fen-Sha  shall  be  free, " 
he  said. 

A-lu-te  clasped  her  hands  in  an  ecstasy  of  hope, 
fear,  and  longing.  "Oh,  go  then,  go  swiftly,  now, 
this  very  minute,"  she  urged.  The  words  were 
scarcely  spoken  when  from  the  deep  shadow  of  the 
trees  in  the  Wilderness  Park  emerged  two  white- 
robed  figures  bearing  torches,  and  after  them  two 
more,  and  again  two,  and  still  others,  a  long  pro 
cession,  silently  advancing  towards  them.  Fol- 


A  Desperate  Midnight  Venture      217 

lingsbee  felt  a  cold  chill  creep  over  him,  such  as 
he  had  not  experienced  in  the  bitterest  winter- 
weather  on  the  Gobi  desert.  He  heard  A-lu-te 
whisper,  ' 'Eunuchs." 

The  name  stands  for  the  most  depraved,  the 
most  sinister  figures  of  Chinese  history. 

Follingsbee  darted  a  swift  look  towards  the  rope 
ladder  dangling  from  the  wall  barely  ten  feet  away. 
He  could  reach  it  easily  before  the  eunuchs,  even 
if  they  saw  him,  could  stop  him.  But  not  so 
A-lu-te,  and  to  leave  her  now  was  not  to  be  con 
sidered  an  instant.  When  he  turned  towards  the 
approaching  eunuchs  again  he  saw  that  four 
among  them  were  carrying  a  coffin.  They  had 
come  then,  not  because  they  loiew  of  his  presence, 
but  to  conduct  a  midnight  burial. 

A-lu-te  plucked  his  sleeve,  and,  without  speaking, 
pointed  to  the  pagoda  near  which  they  were  stand 
ing.  In  large  niches  in  the  sides  of  the  building 
were  painted  wooden  images  of  Buddha  seated 
cross-legged  on  lotus  leaves.  Three  of  these 
niches,  on  the  first  tier,  were  empty;  their  images 
had  been  destroyed  when  the  great  sack  of  the 
Summer  Palace  occurred  many  years  before  and 
had  never  been  replaced.  In  an  instant  Follings 
bee  understood  A-lu-te's  meaning.  Quick  as  had 
been  her  thought  he  swung  her  up  to  one  of  the 
empty  niches,  then  seated  himself,  cross-legged,  in 
another. 

Nearer  and  nearer  came  the  silent  procession. 
Would  it  pass  the  pagoda?  Would  the  light  of  the 


21 8          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

torches  fall  on  the  girl  and  himself,  seated  stiff, 
immovable,  like  graven  images  in  the  niches? 
Would  the  eunuchs  see  them?  What  his  fate 
would  be  in  that  event  gave  him  no  concern,  but 
he  shuddered  at  the  thought  of  A-lu-te,  dragged 
back  to  the  Palace,  and  of  what  would  befall  her 
there.  In  the  tea-houses,  many  were  the  terrible 
tales  he  had  listened  to  concerning  the  fate  of 
girls  who  tried  to  escape  from  the  Imperial  Palace, 
when  life  had  become  too  dreadful  to  be  borne. 

How  slowly  the  white-robed  procession  moved! 
He  could  scarcely  endure  the  tension  longer. 
Nearer  and  nearer  came  the  ghostly  figures,  walk 
ing  with  long,  soft  strides  like  animals ;  the  torches 
flickered  fitfully ;  the  smell  of  their  smoke  filled  the 
air.  He  controlled  an  almost  irresistible  impulse 
to  lean  forward  to  look  at  A-lu-te,  to  give  her  some 
sign  of  encouragement;  but  the  torches  were  very 
near  to  them  now;  the  least  movement  could  be 
seen,  did  some  eunuch  chance  to  raise  his  eyes  to 
the  pagoda.  Within  a  few  yards  of  the  pagoda 
the  procession  suddenly  halted.  The  torches  were 
stuck  in  the  ground  half  encircling  a  deep  hole, 
which  Follingsbee  now  saw  was  a  newly  made  grave. 
The  eunuchs  ranged  themselves  on  each  side  of  the 
grave. 

The  flickering  light  of  the  torches  illumined  their 
faces.  For  a  moment  Follingsbee  forgot  the  girl's 
peril  and  his  own  in  the  study  of  these  strange 
spectres  of  men.  Many  of  them  were  tall,  most 
of  them  were  flabby,  whether  old  or  young  it  was 


A  Desperate  Midnight  Venture      219 

difficult  to  determine;  the  faces  of  some  were 
withered,  yet  gave  a  strange  impression  of  youth, 
of  depraved  youth  struck  by  the  hand  of  time  into 
old  age,  in  a  single  night.  Their  mouths  were 
loose,  their  countenances  expressionless  or  terribly 
weary;  here  and  there  among  them  were  those  who 
showed  a  ferocity  in  their  looks  that  was  unlike 
anything  human,  as  if  they  wanted  to  howl,  or 
bite  or  spit  in  the  face  of  mankind. 

Suddenly  the  mournful  death  chant  of  the  Bud 
dhist  priests  broke  the  night-silence.  First  low, 
then  swelling  in  volume  to  louder,  clearer,  and 
stronger  tones,  the  chant  rose  to  its  highest  pitch; 
then  slowly  it  descended  and  softly  sank  to  a 
whispering  sigh,  only  to  rise  again  in  crescendo, 
strong,  full-throated,  vibrant,  and  again  to  descend 
till  it  became  but  a  whispering  breath  before  ceas 
ing  altogether.  Then  the  white-robed  mourners 
took  up  the  death-chant  in  a  long,  low,  wailing 
cry  which  rising  higher  and  higher  culminated  in 
a  wild  and  horrible  shriek  which  slowly  died  away 
in  a  sobbing  sigh.  The  last  wail  died  on  the  night 
air.  The  eunuchs  took  up  their  torches  and, 
silently  as  they  had  come,  disappeared  in  the 
Wilderness  Park.  Follingsbee  heaved  a  sigh  of 
relief.  His  limbs  were  cramped;  he  found  diffi 
culty  in  moving  them.  When  the  faint  glimmer 
of  the  last  torch  was  lost  in  the  darkness,  he 
slipped  to  the  ground.  "  A-lu-te,  "  he  called  softly, 
while  his  eyes  still  guardedly  watched  the  park. 
Receiving  no  reply  he  turned  quickly  and  looked 


220          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

up.  The  niche  into  which  he  had  swung  A-lu-te 
was  empty  and  he  realized  that  she  had  daringly 
made  her  escape  unobserved  while  the  eunuchs 
were  gathered  around  the  grave  intent  upon  their 
death  wail.  It  was  futile  to  wait  in  the  vain  hope 
of  her  return.  He  had  intended  reasoning  with  her 
on  her  resolution  to  remain  in  the  Palace  instead 
of  making  good  her  escape  when  the  opportunity 
offered.  He  clambered  up  the  rope-ladder  and 
dropped  to  the  other  side  of  the  wall.  Then  he 
hastened  to  the  clump  of  trees  on  the  hillside 
where  his  horse  was  tethered.  The  tired  beast 
was  standing  with  low-hanging  head,  too  exhausted 
to  graze.  It  was  soon  apparent  to  Follingsbee  that 
his  horse  had  not  the  strength  left  to  even  carry 
him.  Half -dragging  and  leading  the  animal,  he 
descended  into  the  plain,  avoiding  the  soldiers' 
village  on  the  right,  which  he  would  again  have 
been  forced  to  skirt  had  he  directed  his  steps 
Peking-ward.  He  determined  instead  to  make  his 
way  somehow  to  Tung-chou.  Once  he  was  per 
suaded  that  in  so  doing  he  was  wrong,  that  his 
best,  if  not  his  only  chance  of  reaching  Tientsin 
before  the  Senior  Secretary  was  to  hasten  back 
to  Peking,  await  the  opening  of  the  gates,  and  go 
directly  to  the  Inspectorate,  rouse  Sir  Robert  Hart, 
who  alone  could  authorize  the  use  of  the  pony- 
express  which  carried  the  mail  overland.  That 
the  "I.  G. "  (as  the  Inspector-General  of  the  Im 
perial  Maritime  Customs  was  commonly  called) 
would  not  grant  this  extraordinary  favour  without 


A  Desperate  Midnight  Venture      221 

being  fully  informed  of  the  reasons  for  such  a 
demand  Follingsbee  knew,  and  he  had  grave  doubts 
whether  even  then  he  would  not  meet  with  an 
emphatic  refusal.  For  the  affair  had  a  political 
side  impossible  to  ignore,  and  the  "I.  G. "  was  not 
the  man  to  assist  in  an  enterprise  which  might 
imperil  the  existence  of  any  part  of  the  great 
institution  he  had  spent  the  best  part  of  his  life 
in  perfecting  and  controlling. 

Follingsbee  reflected,  as  he  dragged  his  weary 
horse  along,  that,  if  he  could  reach  Tung-chou,  he 
might  make  shift  somehow  to  secure  fresh  mounts 
along  the  much-travelled  highroad  to  Tientsin. 

The  sky,  which  had  been  unclouded  and  pierced 
by  brilliant  stars,  became  overcast.  The  wind 
rose  and  with  it  came  one  of  those  sudden  driving 
rainstorms  prone  to  occur  at  this  season  of  the 
year. 

Follingsbee  had  scarcely  time  to  realize  his 
predicament  before  he  was  soaked  to  the  skin. 
Not  far  off,  a  fire  leapt  suddenly  into  life.  He  had 
come  upon  a  small  encampment.  Two  tents 
rose  before  him.  He  approached  the  larger  one, 
raised  the  flap,  and  boldly  entered. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

THE   RACE 

SMOKE  filled  the  interior  of  the  tent.  Follings- 
bee  felt  stifled,  his  eyes  blinked  vainly  in  an  effort 
to  see.  He  coughed,  choked,  and  groping  hastily 
for  the  flap,  raised  it  again.  A  loud,  good-natured 
laugh  issued  from  the  rear  of  the  canvas  house  and 
through  the  smoke  Follingsbee  saw  a  man  squat 
ting  by  the  fire  drying  his  clothes.  His  flat  face, 
prominent  cheek-bones,  and  sunken  forehead  pro 
claimed  him  a  Mongol. 

" Enter,  Brother,  enter!"  he  called  in  a  shrill, 
harsh  voice,  which  yet  had  a  tone  of  hearty  wel 
come  in  it.  "Cannot  your  eyes  and  nose  endure 
a  little  smoke?  See,  mine  are  not  so  large  and  so 
fine  to  look  at  as  yours,  but  for  all  that  they  serve 
me  better." 

Again  the  rollicking  laugh  echoed  through  the 
tent. 

"Your  heart  is  large,  Brother,  and  your  wit  not 
small.  I  will  gladly  sit  with  you  awhile,  but  let 
it  be  near  the  door  that  I  may  draw  breath  enough 
to  talk. "  And  suiting  the  action  to  the  words, 
Follingsbee  seated  himself  by  the  tent-flap.  The 

222 


The  Race  223 

Mongol  nodded.  "I  heard  you  coming  this  long 
time  past.  It  is  slow  travelling,  dragging  a  beast 
that  was  meant  to  carry  you, "  he  said  calmly. 

Although  Follingsbee  knew  that  Mongols  have 
the  sense  of  sight,  hearing,  and  smell  developed  to 
an  extraordinary  degree,  his  host's  remark  left  him 
gaping  in  amazement. 

The  Mongol,  aware  of  the  hit  he  had  made, 
opened  his  wide  mouth  in  a  laugh  which  drowned 
for  the  nonce  the  roar  of  the  storm.  His  gaiety 
was  spontaneous,  therefore  contagious.  Follings 
bee  found  himself  laughing  whole-heartedly  with 
him. 

"Is  my  Brother  travelling  to  Peking?"  the 
Mongol  asked  when  his  merriment  had  subsided. 

"Not  so,  to  Tung-chou." 

"That  is  my  sorrow — we  could  have  kept  the 
road  together.  I  go  to  Peking  when  the  dawn 
breaks.  Is  it  your  purpose  to  drag  your  beast  all 
the  way  to  Tung-chou?  The  Us  are  many. " 

"It  is  true,  Brother,  the  Us  are  many  when  the 
beast's  strength  is  gone,  but,  with  a  good  animal, 
fleet-footed  and  strong,  such  as  my  Brother  will 
sell  me  ere  we  part,  the  distance  is  less  than 
nothing. " 

It  was  the  Mongol  who  now  looked  his  surprise. 

"The  beasts  I  have  with  me  are  needed;  I  have 
none  to  spare,  none  to  sell. " 

"I  have  heard,  and  I  believe  it  true,  that  those 
who  dwell  in  the  Land  of  Grass  "  (Mongolia)  "  are 
hospitable  to  strangers  and  quick  to  relieve  their 


224          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

distress. "  Follingsbee  left  his  position  by  the 
tent-flap  as  he  spoke  and  seated  himself  beside 
his  host. 

"What  is  the  nature  of  your  distress,  Brother?" 
asked  the  little  Mongol,  with  quick  interest,  for 
he,  like  all  his  people,  dearly  loved  a  personal 
narrative. 

Follingsbee,  aware  of  this  trait,  told  a  long  tale 
of  a  sick  and  dying  friend,  whose  life  depended  on  a 
medicine  he,  Follingsbee,  had  obtained  from  one 
who  in  turn  had  it  from  a  living  Buddha.  But  the 
medicine,  added  Follingsbee,  would  lose  its  efficacy 
if  not  taken  within  the  next  fourteen  hours  and  his 
friend  must  die  if  he  did  not  reach  him  before  the 
expiration  of  that  time. 

"A  living  Buddha!"  exclaimed  the  Mongol; 
"where  dwells  he?" 

"Close  by—in  the  Western  hills. " 

"That  is  but  a  few  short  Us  from  here !  I  will  to 
him  myself,  such  medicine  is  good  to  have.  Who 
knows  but  that  some  day  I  too  may  be  stricken 
with  the  same  sickness  of  which  your  friend  is 
dying !  Yes,  yes,  I  will  put  off  going  to  Peking  at 
dawn,  though  I  fear  I  may  thereby  be  too  late  to 
see  the  Lama  Bokte  who  is  to  manifest  his  power  at 
the  midday  hour.  Many  pilgrims  will  be  there  to 
witness  the  great  marvel.  But  the  preservation 
of  my  life  is  a  more  important  matter  to  me." 
The  Mongol's  voice  had  taken  on  a  feeble  tone  as 
of  one  who  is  about  to  give  up  the  ghost.  The 
mere  thought  that  he  might  some  day  be  smitten 


The  Race  225 

with  this  unknown  sickness  and  die  of  it  unless  he 
had  the  living  Buddha  medicine,  had  suddenly 
alarmed  him.  His  round,  ruddy  face  and  robust 
appearance  were  so  ill  in  accord  with  the  feeble 
pipe  of  his  new  voice,  that  Follingsbee  with 
difficulty  restrained  his  laughter. 

"Listen,  my  Brother,"  he  said.  "My  friend 
contracted  this  sickness  while  in  a  foreign  country 
which  lies  far  beyond  the  seas  to  the  West.  Only 
those  who  travel  to  that  land  become  smitten  with 
the  disease,  therefore  have  no  fear,  you  are  quite 
safe,  for  you  have  never  journeyed  there." 

"Thanks  be  to  Buddha  for  that ! "  exclaimed  the 
Mongol  fervently. 

He  pulled  a  Buddhist  rosary  from  his  pocket  and 
began  to  chant  the  six-syllable  prayer  of  Tibet  and 
Mongolia,  ' '  Om  mani  padme  houm.  Om  mani 
padme  houm,"  over  and  over  again,  twisting  and 
turning  his  beads  the  while. 

Follingsbee  waited  patiently  until  the  Mongol 
had  concluded  his  oraisons,  then  he  asked  mildly: 

"And  now,  Brother,  you  will  sell  me  your  horse, 
will  you  not?" 

"That  I  will!"  returned  the  little  man  cordially, 
"but  first  we  will  feast.  When  the  stomach  is 
full,  the  journey  is  short."  He  rose,  stepped  to 
the  tent-door,  and  called  lustily.  From  the 
adjoining  tent  a  sleepy  voice  answered;  a  few 
minutes  later  a  young  boy  entered  carrying  a  large 
pot  which  he  placed  over  the  fire. 

"The  food  is  cooked,  it  will  not  take  long  to  heat 
15 


226          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

it, "  said  the  Mongol.  And  so  it  proved.  In  a 
short  time  the  boy  plunged  his  hands  in  the  boiling 
pot  and  threw  on  the  board,  which  served  them 
for  a  table,  a  mass  of  the  most  disgusting  looking 
victuals  Follingsbee  had  ever  seen.  It  was  the 
intestines  of  a  sheep,  the  spleen,  bowels,  liver,  heart, 
and  kidneys,  stuffed  with  blood  and  meal  and 
retaining  much  of  the  appearance  seen  in  the  live 
animal. 

The  Mongol  twisted  off  a  piece  of  the  bowels  and 
began  eating  with  unction,  inviting  Follingsbee  at 
the  same  time  to  do  likewise.  Controlling  the 
nausea  which  threatened  to  assail  him,  Follings 
bee  helped  himself  to  a  portion  of  the  liver:  The 
boy  in  the  meantime  pounded  salt  between  two 
stones  and  with  this  adjunct  to  their  meal,  Fol 
lingsbee  found  his  appetite  became  less  squeamish. 

Although  unable  to  keep  pace  with  his  host  and 
the  latter 's  boy  in  the  matter  of  devouring  large 
quantities  of  the  food,  he  managed  to  make  fair 
inroads  upon  his  portion.  While  they  ate,  the 
Mongol  talked  volubly. 

"This  turning  of  night  into  day,  my  Brother, 
always  pleases  my  humour,  when  I  take  the  road 
to  Peking.  Ay,  ay,  that  is  a  city  for  the  gay  and 
young!  Famous  times  I  have  had  there!  As  to 
dice  and  drink  and  the  pleasures  of  the  heart,  I 
think  I  can  boast  of  having  enjoyed  as  much  of 
them  as  another." 

"Do  you  take  the  road  to  Peking  often?"  in 
quired  Follingsbee,  stolidly  struggling  with  his  meat. 


The  Race  227 

' '  Formerly  yes — but  seldom  now,  alas !  I  could 
tell  you  tales  of  my  exploits  there !  There  was  one 
— the  Moon-formed  she  was  called — I  remember 
I  met  her  when  I  journeyed  to  the  capital  with  the 
retinue  of  the  Tartar  Prince  Ta-Pou.  We  were 
bringing  an  immense  supply  of  pomatum  made  of 
pheasants'  eggs  to  the  Yellow  City.  The  Western 
Empress  Tzu  Hsi  used  it  to  impart  that  peculiar 
and  renowed  lustre  to  her  hair,  formerly  so  much 
admired  by  An  Te  hai.  Little  Moon-formed  and 
I  were " 

"Who  was  An  Te  hai? "  asked  Follingsbee,  inter 
rupting  the  narrative.  He  feared  the  love  ex 
ploits  of  the  Mongol  and  his  little  Moon-formed 
would  be  both  long  and  wearisome  to  listen 
to. 

The  Mongol  looked  at  him  and  laughed.  "Na 
ture  gave  us  one  tongue  and  two  ears,  so  that  we 
could  hear  twice  as  much  as  we  speak.  You  are 
a  man  grown  and  yet  till  now  it  seems  have  made 
small  use  of  your  ears,  since  you  do  not  know  about 
this  An  Te  hai.  Well,  I  will  tell  you  what  every 
frequenter  of  tea-houses  knows.  An  Te  hai  was  a 
false  eunuch  in  the  Yellow  City  and  beloved  by 
the  Empress  Tzu  Hsi.  After  the  Emperor  Hsien- 
Feng  ascended  the  Dragon  Throne  on  high,  An  Te 
hai  ruled  China,  because  he  was  supreme  in  the 
Palace.  He  wore  the  dragon  robes  sacred  to  the 
use  of  emperors  and  Tzu  Hsi  gave  him  the  jade 
ju-ji  before  all  the  Court.  She  bore  him  a  child, 
some  say  a  son,  others  declare  it  was  a  daughter, 


228          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

but  no  one  knows  with  certainty,  for  the  scandal 
became  so  great  the  Empress  was  alarmed,  and 
the  infant  was  smuggled  from  the  Palace  one 
night  and  the  story  of  its  birth  vigorously  denied. 
But  Prince  Kung,  the  watch-dog  of  the  Throne, 
knew  the  danger  of  such  scandals  to  the  power  of 
the  Manchu  Dynasty.  He  bided  his  time  and  it 
came  ere  long.  The  extravagance  of  Tzu  Hsi 
and  her  lover  had  so  diminished  her  funds,  she 
allowed  him  to  go  on  a  special  mission  to  Shantung 
to  collect  tribute  in  her  name,  a  proceeding  without 
precedence  and  most  illegal.  No  sooner  had  this 
arrogant  and  presumptuous  false  eunuch  arrived 
in  Shantung,  than  Prince  Kung  sought  a  private 
audience  with  the  Eastern  Empress,  a  weak  and 
timorous  woman.  He  persuaded  her,  though 
with  difficulty,  to  sign  a  decree  commanding  the 
summary  decapitation  of  her  powerful  colleague's 
favourite,  and  it  is  said  she  wept  bitterly  as  she 
appended  her  signature,  declaring  she  would  surely 
be  killed  for  her  temerity.  Well,  An  Te  hai  lost 
his  head — it  was  a  handsome  one — and  the  Eastern 
Empress  died  suddenly  a  few  years  later,  so  were 
her  fears  fulfilled.  The  Western  Empress  has 
reigned  alone  ever  since.  She  is  a  great  woman,  is 
the  Old  Buddha,  a  woman  of  action,  of  impulse, 
of  sentiment.  She  has  her  faults,  but  which  of 
us  have  not?  Assuredly  I,  my  Brother,  am  not 
without  them. " 

The  Mongol  seemed  suddenly  to  have  fallen 
into  a  melancholy  mood.     He  sighed  frequently 


The  Race  229 

and  every  now  and  again  murmured  his  prayer, 
1 '  Om  mani  padme  houm ! ' ' 

' '  You  are  sad,  Brother ;  what  afflicts  you  ? "  asked 
Follingsbee. 

The  Mongol  took  a  vigorous  pinch  of  snuff. 

"The  reptile!"  he  answered,  heaving  another 
sigh. 

"The  reptile!"  exclaimed  Follingsbee,  involun 
tarily  casting  his  eyes  around  the  tent. 

' '  Yes,  even  so,  for  my  demerits  are  indeed  great. ' ' 
And  again  the  ruddy  little  man,  near  to  bursting 
with  the  amount  of  food  he  had  consumed,  sighed 
volcanically. 

"Explain  yourself,  Brother,  while  we  go  to  look 
at  the  horse  you  will  sell  me, "  said  Follingsbee 
rising.  He  was  anxious  to  be  off. 

"Seat  yourself,  seat  yourself,  my  Brother. 
When  Midchou  has  scraped  the  pot  and  boiled 
the  water  for  tea,  he  will  bring  the  beast  here. 
Are  you  a  Taoist  then?  For  it  seems  you  are  not 
a  Buddhist,  or  you  would  know  that  the  reptile  I 
spoke  of  belongs  to  the  six  classes  in  which  all 
living  beings  are  divided.  The  first  class  is  angels, 
then  men,  demons,  quadrupeds,  birds,  and  reptiles. 
Living  beings,  by  continual  transformation,  ac 
cording  to  their  virtues,  or  their  sins,  pass  about 
in  these  six  classes  until  they  reach  the  apex  of 
perfection,  when  they  become  absorbed  in  the 
immensity  of  Buddha,  whence  emanate  all  souls 
and  wherein  all  souls  are  destined  after  attaining 
perfection  to  return.  Now,  I  have  been  lax  in 


230          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

many  things  and  above  all  in  the  matter  of  saying 
prayers,  for  those  who  repeat  the  sacred  six  sylla 
bles  devoutly  and  often,  escape  the  baser  trans 
formation  and  are  nearer  the  great  Essence  of 
Buddha." 

The  Mongol  drew  forth  his  rosary  and  began 
again  to  chant,  "Om  mani  padme  houm!" 

Follingsbee  rose  softly  and  lifted  the  tent-flap. 
The  storm  had  ceased,  the  first  streaks  of  dawn 
were  creeping  rosily  up  in  the  horizon.  Before 
this  day,  just  begun,  was  ended,  he  must  be  in 
Tientsin;  two  lives  depended  upon  accomplishing 
a  ride  of  eighty  miles  over  wretched  roads  between 
the  rising  and  the  setting  of  the  sun,  for  something 
told  him  that  A-lu-te,  the  brave  and  beautiful 
Manchu  maiden,  would  refuse  to  survive  her 
lover.  His  own  horse  lay  dead  a  few  short  paces 
off.  Should  the  Mongol's  horse  prove  to  be  fleet, 
and  of  that  he  had  no  doubts,  for  the  swiftness  of 
Mongolian  beasts  was  common  knowledge,  he  yet 
had  no  chance  of  reaching  Tientsin  in  time  without 
the  aid  of  a  relay  of  fast  horses.  How  to  obtain 
them  he  did  not  know. 

The  boy  passed  him  carrying  the  big  pot. 
Follingsbee  followed  him  to  the  tent  where  the 
Mongol's  animals  were  sheltered.  There  were 
three  horses  and  a  great  Bactrian  camel,  its  forelegs 
folded  under  its  body,  its  long  neck  stretched  out 
before  it  on  the  ground.  It  looked  like  a  mon 
strous  snail  of  some  prehistoric  time. 

He  approached  the  horses  and  examined  them 


The  Race  231 

with  keen  interest.  They  were  not  much  to  look 
at;  one  of  them,  as  if  divining  his  thought,  bit  at 
him  viciously. 

"Beware,  Brother,  that  one  has  the  temper  of  a 
demon;  but  he  runs  well.'* 

Follingsbee  turned  quickly  to  find  the  Mongol 
behind  him. 

"What  distance  can  he  travel,  running  all  the 
while?"  he  asked  his  host. 

The  little  man  stroked  his  thin  beard.  "That 
depends,  that  depends;  I  have  known  the  beast 
to  keep  neck  and  shoulder  with  my  Lla  for  thirty 
Us  before  he  began  to  lag.  No  other  beast  has 
done  it." 

"Where  and  what  is  Lla?"  inquired  Follingsbee 
curiously. 

' '  My  camel  yonder.  She  is  of  the  racing  breed ; 
she  goes  like  the  wind  and  never  tires. " 

Follingsbee  started  violently.  He  had  heard  of 
these  racing  camels ;  they  could  outrun  the  swiftest 
horse  and  were  known  to  have  covered  two  hun 
dred  and  forty  Us  in  a  day.  Now  two  hundred 
and  forty  Us  was  eighty  miles  and  Tientsin  was 
eighty  miles  away!  Here  was  the  solution  to 
his  problem.  Surely  Providence  had  guided  him 
to  the  Mongol's  tent  that  night.  "Brother,"  he 
said  endeavouring  to  speak  quietly,  "I  will  buy 
the  camel." 

"Buy  Lla!  Not  the  Old  Buddha  herself, 
before  whom  all  men  prostrate  themselves  and 
say,  when  she  so  commands,  water  is  dry  land 


232          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

and  dry  land  is  water,  not  even  she  can  buy  my 
Lla!" 

"But  my  sick  friend,  Brother!  Think  of  my 
friend  who  will  die  if  I  give  him  not  the  medicine 
before  the  night  comes  round  again!"  pleaded 
Follingsbee. 

"Take  the  two  horses — they  are  yours  for  a  little 
money.  But  Lla  is  the  darling  of  my  heart,  I 
will  not  sell  her,"  replied  the  Mongol  firmly. 

Follingsbee  was  however  determined  to  obtain 
the  camel.  He  tried  every  argument,  every  per 
suasion  to  induce  the  Mongol  to  part  with  his 
cherished  beast.  He  even  promised  to  pay  full 
value  for  the  camel  and  return  her  in  four  days, 
but  Lla's  owner  remained  obdurate. 

Finally,  Follingsbee  hit  upon  an  expedient  which 
promised  success;  he  remembered  that  Mongols, 
like  Chinese,  are  all  fond  of  games  of  chance  and  of 
betting.  Follingsbee  broke  into  a  loud  laugh. 
"I  see  how  it  is  with  you,  Brother;  I  will  buy  the 
horses,  for  it  is  quite  plain  to  me  that  your  precious 
Lla  is  no  good;  she  cannot  run  fifty  Us  a  day." 

"Not  run  fifty  Us!"  shouted  the  Mongol.  "I 
tell  you  Lla  has  run  two  hundred  Us  a  day,  nay, 
more,  she  has  run  three  hundred  Us.  Your  talk 
is  contrary  to  good  sense  and  truly  ridiculous." 

"Nevertheless  that  is  my  conviction,  for  why 
did  you  decline  so  reasonable  a  chance  to  show  her 
speed?  I  offer  you  the  purchase  money  besides 
agreeing  to  return  her  within  the  week.  You  have 
boasted  overmuch  and  now  are  ashamed  because 


The  Race  233 

your  little  Brother  has  found  you  out!"  And 
Follingsbee  let  his  laughter  ring  loud  and  long 
through  the  tent.  The  Mongol  was  beside  himself 
with  annoyance  at  the  incredulity  of  his  guest. 

"You  know  nothing  about  it.  Your  ignorance 
of  camels  is  that  of  a  child,  a  girl-child !  I  tell  you 
Lla  can  run  three  hundred  Us  in  one  day!"  he 
roared. 

"And  I  tell  you  she  cannot  run  thirty!'*  Fol 
lingsbee  came  back  at  him,  pretending  to  hold  his 
sides  with  laughter.  "Look  at  her !  Look  at  her ! 
Now  that  my  eyes  are  open  to  your  jest,  I  can  see 
that  if  my  horse  out  there  were  not  already  dead, 
he  could  in  dying  have  outpaced  her.  Why,  I 
would  have  wagered  you  the  sum  I  first  offered  on 
his  doing  it!" 

This  was  too  much  for  the  Mongol. 

"It  is  true  your  beast  is  dead,  but  let  the  wager 
stand,  or  rather  make  a  new  one.  Ride  Lla — if 
she  runs  not  with  you  three  hundred  Us*  this  day, 
I  will  give  her  to  you  and  the  horses  with  her," 
he  roared  again.  "Come,  put  up  your  money — 
if  you  lose,  you  pay  me  twice  over. " 

"Agreed,"  said  Follingsbee  quickly.  He  had 
provided  himself  with  a  large  sum  of  money  before 
riding  to  the  Summer  Palace  in  the  event  of  need 
ing  it  for  bribing  purposes  or  other  emergencies. 
He  now  handed  his  host  the  required  amount, 
shaking  his  head  the  while  in  pretended  regret  at 
the  other's  reckless  daring  in  betting  on  such  a 

1 A  li  is  about  }4  of  a  mile. 


234          Tlie  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

wretched  beast.  The  Mongol  laughed  heartily 
in  his  turn.  "It  is  you,  my  Brother,  who  foolishly 
throws  away  good  money. ' '  He  became  suddenly 
serious.  "My  conduct  towards  you  has  been 
irreproachable.  Do  I  speak  truth?" 

"You  did  indeed  speak  truth,  my  Brother," 
replied  Follingsbee  earnestly,  "and  if  J  act  not 
honestly  in  this  matter  may  the  curse  of  Heaven 
destroy  me."  He  drew  from  his  vest  pocket  a 
gold  repeating  watch  and  presented  it  to  the 
Mongol.  "Take  it,  Brother,  in  token  of  my 
friendship ;  it  is  a  good  watch  and  even  in  the  dead 
of  night,  without  a  light,  it  will  make  known  the 
hour  to  you  if  you  so  command. " 

He  answered  the  look  of  amazement  and  in 
credulity  on  the  little  man's  face  by  explaining  the 
mechanism  of  the  watch  which  sounded  the 
repeater. 

The  Mongol  was  delighted ;  watches  he  had  often 
seen,  but  never  one  like  this.  "May  the  star  of 
happiness  guide  you  all  your  days,"  he  cried;  "I 
leave  you  in  confidence  and  with  a  joyful  heart. 
When  you  return  with  Lla  having  lost  your 
wager" — here  his  small  eyes  twinkled  merrily, 
"you  will  find  me  at  the  inn  of  the  Five  Felicities, 
close  to  the  Mongol  market  in  Peking." 

"Before  the  week  is  passed,  Brother,  Lla  and  I 
will  be  there.  And  now  have  the  camel  brought 
out  that  I  may  mount  and  be  off. " 

"Midchou!"  cried  the  Mongol,  "bring  tea!" 

The  boy  appeared  with  a  bumper  of  tea  in  which 


The  Race  235 

floated  a  thick  layer  of  butter,  for  the  little  Mongol 
had  acquired  in  his  travels  a  taste  for  Tibetan  tea. 

Follingsbee  had  drunk  of  this  concoction  before; 
he  gulped  it  down  with  a  show  of  relish  highly 
gratifying  to  his  host.  The  camel  was  now  led 
from  the  tent,  made  to  kneel,  and  the  clumsy  saddle 
adjusted. 

"Avoid  wet  and  marshy  ground,"  warned  the 
Mongol;  "stones,  thorns,  and  roughness  of  what 
ever  nature  are  nothing  to  Lla's  feet,  but  in  mud 
she  staggers  like  a  man  who  has  drunk  too  deeply. " 

Follingsbee  seated  himself  in  the  saddle  and 
having  repeated  the  word  of  command  which  the 
Mongol  had  taught  him  to  make  the  camel  rise, 
he  turned  her  nose  south-eastward.  Lla  stretched 
her  long  neck,  lifted  her  cushioned  feet,  and  silently 
let  loose  her  speed. 

The  race  had  begun. 

Follingsbee  heard  the  loud,  triumphant  laugh  of 
the  Mongol,  then  nothing  more.  He  had  the  sen 
sation  of  being  on  a  ship  caught  in  a  fierce  and 
sudden  tempest ;  he  clung  to  the  saddle  as  he  might 
have  clung  to  the  mast  to  save  himself  from  being 
cast  overboard.  Bruised,  shaken,  with  a  hideous 
feeling  of  having  lost  his  breath,  as  if  in  truth  he 
had  been  inundated  by  some  great  wave,  he  clung 
desperately  to  Lla's  heaving  back.  He  had  a  con 
fused  consciousness  of  passing  fields  of  kaoliang, 
mud  villages  where  dogs  ran  out  and  barked  fu 
riously,  and  cemeteries  hidden  in  tall  groves  of 
trees.  The  sun  rose  with  glory  in  the  eastern  sky. 


236          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

The  hills,  plains,  groves,  and  mud  villages  which 
shone  pallidly  became  of  a  sudden  illumined  by  a 
golden  light  glittering  beneath  the  azure  of  the  sky. 
It  was  as  if  the  young  day  had  suddenly  thrown  off 
the  dark  covering  which  had  enveloped  her  and 
sprang,  fresh,  rosy,  and  smiling,  from  her  couch. 

On  and  on  flew  Lla,  her  long  strides  making  a 
speed  no  animal  Follingsbee  had  known  or  ridden 
ever  attained  before. 

Gradually  he  became  aware  that  the  rocking, 
heaving  motion  beneath  him  did  not  vary;  he 
began  to  accustom  himself  to  the  even  tumultuous- 
ness  of  the  animal's  gait,  and  was  not  forced  to 
steady  himself  with  frantic  clinging  to  the  saddle. 
He  sat  erect  and  noted  with  something  akin  to  his 
usual  intelligence  the  road  Lla  was  taking.  She 
had  started  south-eastward  and  had  with  the 
docility — some  call  it  stupidity — of  her  race  main 
tained  the  same  direction.  In  the  distance,  he 
saw  a  shining,  twisting,  threadlike  thing  lying 
across  the  landscape,  like  an  elongated  numeral 
eight.  Was  he  nearing  the  banks  of  the  great 
canal?  Impossible!  No  canal  ever  curved  back 
upon  itself  like  that  and  no  river  either,  except  one 
— the  Pei-ho !  Follingsbee  rose  in  his  stirrups  and 
shouted  aloud.  The  Pei-ho! — the  canal  then  lay 
behind  him  and  Tung-chou  too,  for  there  was  no 
sign  of  another  waterway  on  the  horizon  where 
Tung-chou,  the  great  pneumatic  pump  of  Peking, 
would  be.  In  his  joy  he  leaned  over  and  patted 
the  camel's  neck.  ' '  Good  girl !  good  girl ! "  he  called. 


The  Race  237 

The  "good  girl"  turned  her  head  sideways 
without  lessening  her  speed,  curled  back  her  hare 
lip,  and  showed  two  rows  of  vicious-looking  teeth. 
The  sight  caused  Follingsbee  quickly  to  relapse 
into  his  saddle. 

On  and  on  went  Lla,  mile  after  mile,  her  gait 
unvaried,  her  speed  undiminished.  The  wonder  of 
it  left  her  rider  astounded;  now  they  were  on  the 
banks  of  the  Pei-ho,  now  traversing  the  great  high 
road  frightening  donkeys,  mules,  and  horses. 
Follingsbee  heard  loud  shouting,  saw  women  in 
wheelbarrows  jump  from  their  humble  conveyance 
and  scurry  out  of  his  way  and  drivers  of  carts  leave 
their  charges  to  leap  nimbly  to  one  side.  Every 
living  creature,  even  the  dogs  who  barked  at  him 
from  the  safe  shelter  of  adjoining  fields  where  they 
had  taken  refuge,  fled  before  his  approach. 

Only  the  Emperor's  advance  guard  could  have 
cleared  the  great  Peking  and  Tientsin  highway 
more  effectually  than  did  Lla,  the  racing  camel. 
On  and  on  she  went  through  crowded  mud  villages, 
small  agglomerations  of  hideous  hovels  which 
looked  as  if  thrown  together  by  the  giant  hands  of 
some  Brobdingnagian  infant.  The  frightened  in 
habitants  fell  pellmell  over  one  another,  or  rushed 
to  their  doors  to  see  the  strange  sight.  By  the 
height  of  the  sun  in  the  heavens,  Follingsbee  knew 
it  was  noon.  He  was  aching  in  every  bone  in  his 
body  and  consumed  with  a  terrible  thirst.  Per 
spiration  fell  from  him  in  hot  muddy  streamlets, 
for  he  was  covered  with  the  dust  and  dirt  of  the 


238          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

country.  His  face  was  unrecognizable;  he  might 
have  been  a  Mongol,  a  Chinese,  or,  except  for  his 
clothes,  a  native  of  distant  India.  A  white  man  he 
certainly  did  not  appear,  and  perhaps  this  fact 
saved  him  from  assault  on  more  than  one  occasion 
when  the  quagmire  street  of  some  exceptionally 
filthy  village  caused  Lla  to  slip  and  slide,  or  to  stop 
and  convulsively  gather  her  legs  together  and  jump 
where  the  mud  was  deeper  than  she  liked.  In 
these  nasty  places,  the  stench  was  intolerable. 
Follingsbee  shuddered  at  the  thought  of  finding 
himself  prostrate  in  the  midst  of  the  filth.  The 
effort  to  retain  his  seat  when  Lla  leaped  required 
all  his  strength  and,  as  he  clasped  the  camel's 
hump  with  both  arms  and  glued  his  feet  to  her 
sides,  the  village  people  shrieked  with  delight  at 
the  spectacle  he  offered  them.  Out  on  the  firm 
road  again,  his  increased  fatigue  from  these  efforts 
made  it  seem  well-nigh  impossible  to  continue  rid 
ing  the  living,  heaving  mountain  beneath  him. 
He  retained  his  seat  only  by  an  exertion  which  had 
become  wholly  mechanical.  His  eyes  were  blood 
shot;  his  nostrils,  caked  with  dirt,  quivered  inces 
santly;  his  mouth  gaped  wide  for  breath.  He  no 
longer  took  note  of  time  or  space ;  his  entire  mind 
was  absorbed  in  one  thought,  that  of  keeping 
on  Lla's  back.  Once  he  heard  someone  saying, 
"Why  am  I  here?  Where  am  I  going?"  The 
spoken  words  had  the  effect  of  rousing  him  from 
the  semi-stupor  into  which  he  had  fallen.  The 
highroad  was  again  skirting  the  sinuous  Pei-hoJ 


The  Race  239 

junks  of  every  shape  and  size  were  on  the  river. 
Here  and  there  a  house-boat  glided  by.  Follings- 
bee  suddenly  remembered  the  Senior  Secretary. 
Was  his  boat  there  too?  One  of  them  was  of 
special  size  and  beauty;  Follingsbee  looked  anx 
iously  for  the  yellow  flag  which  would  be  floating 
from  the  prow,  denoting  that  the  traveller  was 
"upon  the  business  of  the  Emperor.'*  But  the 
pennant  was  red  and  white,  and  the  boat  was 
going  Peking-ward.  On  the  narrow  little  tow- 
path,  slow-moving  coolies  bent  double  over  the 
rope  harnessed  about  their  half-naked  bodies 
were  towing  the  heavy  craft.  By  and  by  a  bril 
liant  red  glow  coloured  land  and  river.  Pollings- 
bee' s  bloodshot  eyes  roamed  wearily  over  the 
landscape  to  discover  the  conflagration.  It  was 
several  minutes  before  his  dazed  brain  understood 
that  the  glow  had  its  origin  not  in  a  fire,  but  in  the 
setting  of  the  sun.  God !  how  late  it  was !  Was  he 
near  Tientsin?  Had  he  still  far  to  go?  Would  he 
arrive  on  time  or  was  the  Senior  Secretary  even 
now  witnessing  Fen-Sha's  execution? 

Lla's  long  strides  never  changed,  on  and  on  she 
bounded,  no  signs  of  weariness  apparent  in  her 
leaping  gait. 

The  red  glow  faded  from  land  and  sky.  Twilight 
fell  and  still  Lla's  gallop  never  faltered  and  still 
Tientsin  was  not  in  sight.  The  darkness  gathered 
about  them.  Follingsbee' s  tongue  clove  to  the 
roof  of  his  mouth,  his  head  sank  lower  and  lower  on 
his  breast;  his  hands  relaxed  their  hold  upon  the 


240          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

bridle;  they  no  longer  guided  the  camel.  He 
seemed  riding  through  chaos  and  abysses ;  he  knew 
nothing,  saw  nothing.  Suddenly  she  stopped,  her 
nose  against  a  mud  wall.  With  a  supreme  effort 
Follingsbee  roused  himself.  He  saw  lights,  men's 
voices  sounded  near.  He  heard  someone  say, 
1  'Does  your  beneficent  shadow  desire  to  descend 
at  my  humble  inn  tonight?'* 

"What  place  is  this?"  he  managed  to  articulate. 

"The  inn  of  the  'Blue  Sea,'"  came  the  answer. 

"  I-go-on-to-Tientsin, "  muttered  Follingsbee 
thickly. 

"To  Tientsin!  Then  you  have  not  far  to  go, 
noble  personage,"  laughed  the  innkeeper,  "for 
Tientsin  is  here  and  mine  is  the  first  house  of  repose, 
humble  though  it  is,  at  this  end  of  the  town. 
Descend!  descend!  you  may  seek  farther  and  fare 
worse;  many  innkeepers  refuse  shelter  to  such 
beasts  as  yours.  Travellers  with  large  retinues 
will  not  lodge  where  camels  are;  they  have  a 
stinking  breath  and  their  cry  is  raucous  and  mules 
and  horses  fear  them." 

Follingsbee  heard  only  the  first  part  of  this 
speech  and  that  acted  like  a  stimulant  to  his  ex 
hausted  body.  He  had  reached  Tientsin  at  last! 

"  Sok !    Sok ! "  he  said  to  the  camel. 

The  animal  folded  her  legs  under  her  huge  body 
and  slowly  sank  to  the  ground.  Follingsbee 
slipped  from  her  back,  staggered,  and  fell  forward 
on  his  face. 

Almost  at  the  same  moment,  a  chair  passed, 


The  Race  241 

preceded  by  mafoos,  shouting,  "Lend  me  your 
eyes !  Lend  me  your  eyes ! " 

In  the  chair  sat  an  old  man.  He  was  very  tired 
and  the  rheumatism  in  his  legs,  he  told  himself  with 
a  wry  face,  had  not  been  benefited  by  the  two  days' 
river  journey  he  had  just  completed. 

He  was  the  Senior  Secretary  of  the  Hing  Pu. 

16 


CHAPTER  XVII 

OUTWITTED 

THE  innkeeper  of  the  "Blue  Sea"  was  a  good- 
natured  man.  He  was  also  a  quick  appraiser  of 
each  guest's  ability  to  pay.  His  trained  eye  saw 
that  Lla  was  a  camel  of  greater  value  than  the  best 
of  the  breed  he  had  seen;  nor  did  he  fail  to  note 
that  the  saddle  was  a  handsome  one.  He  enter 
tained  no  doubt  therefore  that  this  man  who  lay 
like  a  log  at  his  feet,  who  had  arrived  with  no  one 
in  attendance  upon  him,  would  be  able  to  pay 
whatever  he  chose  to  demand  for  the  care  and 
attention  he  was  about  to  bestow  on  him.  He 
summoned  a  servant.  Together  they  helped 
Follingsbee  to  his  feet  and  half  carried,  half 
dragged  him  into  the  large  room  of  the  inn  and 
laid  him  on  the  brick  K'ang,  where  four  or  five 
Chinese  were  already  reclining.  The  room  was 
dimly  lighted  by  wicks  floating  in  dirty  oil  in  some 
half-dozen  saucers.  The  innkeeper  ordered  his 
servant  to  fasten  the  camel  to  a  stake  in  a  corner 
of  the  court. 

"  Lord  of  the  soup  kettle, "  cried  one  of  the  men 
on  the  K'ang,  leaning  over  to  inspect  Follingsbee's 

242 


Outwitted  243 

face  curiously,  "Under  what  quarter  of  the 
heavens  was  this  man  born  whom  you  have  de 
posited  here  like  a  sack  of  charcoal?  His  dress  is 
Chinese,  the  dirt  on  his  person  is  the  dirt  of  a 
Tartar,  and  he  reeks  like  a  driver  of  camels. " 

"Not  a  driver,  but  a  rider  of  camels,"  retorted 
the  innkeeper,  "and  it  matters  little  whence  he 
came  or  what  quarter  of  the  heavens  he  was  born 
in,  since  he  is  here  and  has  a  churl  like  you  for  a 
bed-fellow." 

"Governor  of  the  meat  pot,  you  lie,  he  is  no 
bed-fellow  of  mine. "  With  which  remark  the  man 
doubled  himself  up  like  a  jack-knife  and  shot  his 
legs  out  again  with  astonishing  force  and  vigour, 
thereby  kicking  Follingsbee  from  the  K'ang  into 
the  middle  of  the  room.  At  this  nimble  feat,  the 
other  guests  set  up  a  loud  laugh,  in  which  the 
landlord  and  his  servants  joined  heartily. 

It  is  seldom  a  man  has  reason  to  be  grateful  for 
the  administration  of  a  kick  to  the  centre  of  his 
back,  or  indeed  to  any  portion  of  his  anatomy. 
Had  Follingsbee  known  the  cause  of  his  sudden 
return  to  consciousness  he  would  probably  have 
given  expression  to  his  sense  of  gratitude  by  a  blow 
on  the  kicker's  head.  As  it  was  he  only  rolled  over 
on  the  hard  floor  and  sat  up  to  stare  about  him  in 
dazed  bewilderment  at  his  surroundings.  Then 
his  eyes  lighted  on  the  innkeeper.  "Drink,"  he 
tried  to  articulate,  but  his  voice  uttered  no  sound. 
In  a  corner  of  the  apartment  a  guest  was  squatting 
before  a  small  glazed  earth  oven  on  which  rested  a 


244          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

kettle.  He  was  absorbed  in  the  preparation  of  his 
tea.  Follingsbee  rose,  staggered  towards  him,  and 
throwing  a  Mexican  dollar  in  his  lap,  snatched 
from  him  the  bowl  he  was  about  to  raise  to  his 
lips.  The  tea  was  still  boiling  hot,  but  Follings 
bee  drank  it  down  in  one  quick  gulp.  Everyone 
was  surprised  with  the  munificence  of  this  man 
who  could  fling  away  silver  coin  for  a  dish  of  tea. 
The  innkeeper  hastened  to  his  side,  bowing  and 
rubbing  his  hands.  His  manner  was  obsequious, 
his  tones  unctuous,  "  Super-excellent  gentleman, 
your  servants  have  not  yet  appeared  to  prepare 
your  meal  and  your  noble  stomach  is  no  doubt 
demanding  more  substantial  alimentation  than 
tea.  My  humble  larder  is  full;  pray  accept  my 
trifling  services  as  cook.  Will  you  partake  of 
sheep's  tail,  chicken,  or  succulent  pork?" 

Just  then  the  piercing  horrible  screams  of  Lla 
were  heard  outside  in  the  court. 

"Give  my  camel  water  and  food  and  keep  her 
until  my  return.  Send  a  servant  to  fetch  me  a 
cart, "  commanded  Follingsbee  huskily.  He  flung 
mine  host  of  the  Blue  Sea  some  money  and  stag 
gered  into  the  court.  While  he  waited  for  the  cart, 
he  watched  Lla  suck  up  long  draughts  of  water 
from  wooden  buckets  placed  before  her,  and  he 
envied  the  beast  her  length  of  throat  which  was 
so  pleasantly  getting  moist  and  having  its  great 
thirst  slaked. 

His  own  throat  was  still  painfully  parched,  mak 
ing  his  speech,  when  he  essayed  to  talk,  so  thick 


Outwitted  245 

and  guttural,  it  was  unlike  the  speech  of  foreigner 
or  Chinese. 

A  cart  having  finally  been  procured,  the  inn 
keeper  assisted  Follingsbee  to  crawl  into  it,  keeping 
up  the  while  a  steady  stream  of  talk.  "Distin 
guished  eminence,  it  is  a  weight  upon  my  heart 
that  you  go  from  my  miserable  establishment" 
(and  miserable  it  surely  was!)  "without  regaling 
your  noble  stomach  with  nourishment.  Doubtless 
when  you  return  to  claim  your  magnificent  camel, 
you  will  not  disdain  the  humble  repast  of  chicken, 
pork,  and  cakes  I  shall  have  prepared  for  you. 
Where  shall  I  direct  the  cart  man  to  drive  you,  most 
noble,  transitory  guest  ?" 

The  men  in  the  inn  had  by  this  time  gathered 
around  the  cart,  idly  curious  to  learn  upon  what 
pressing  business  this  stranger,  exhausted  as  he 
was,  must  needs  repair  without  first  taking  reason 
able  rest. 

1 '  The  Yamen — let  the  mule  gallop, "  commanded 
Follingsbee. 

"The  Yamen!"  they  exclaimed  in  chorus,  "he 
rides  to  the  Yamen!" 

No  man  ever  went  to  the  Yamen  at  this  hour, 
unless  he  were  dragged  there  by  lictors,  or  was  one 
in  authority. 

The  curiosity  of  the  men  was  more  than  satis 
fied;  they  drew  back  in  a  half  frightened,  half 
deferential  manner.  But  the  young  fellow  who 
had  assisted  Follingsbee  from  the  K'ang  by  the 
dexterous  manipulation  of  legs  and  boots  now  ran 


246          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

swiftly  back  into  the  public  room,  gathered  up  his 
roll  of  bedding  lying  on  the  K'ang,  and  made  off. 
He  had  no  mind  to  take  chances  on  being  sum 
moned  before  the  magistrate  for  having  kicked  an 
official,  even  if  that  official  had  pretended  to  ignore 
the  act. 

The  cart  rattled  out  of  the  court  of  the  inn  of  the 
"Blue  Sea"  and  followed  a  series  of  tortuous, 
malodorous,  narrow  streets  till  it  drew  up  with  a 
jerk  before  a  high,  brick  wall.  A  lantern  swung 
from  the  gate,  shedding  its  dim  light  upon  a 
miserable  wretch  seated  near  the  entrance.  A 
four-cornered  heavy  wooden  collar  was  suspended 
around  his  neck  in  a  manner  to  effectually  prevent 
him  from  lying  down,  nor  could  his  hands  reach 
his  mouth  even  for  the  purpose  of  putting  food  into 
it.  A  long  red  strip  of  paper  with  the  magistrate's 
seal  affixed  was  pasted  on  the  board  and  read, 
"This  man  is  a  thief;  he  will  wear  the  cangue  three 
weeks." 

Follingsbee  dismissed  the  cart,  and  knocked 
vigorously  upon  the  gates.  They  were  opened 
and  he  entered  the  outer  court  of  the  Yamen,  or, 
as  the  bulk  of  the  people  frequently  dubbed  it, 
"Terrestial  hell,"  for  the  Yamen,  in  their  minds, 
is  synonymous  with  torture  and  death. 

Most  of  the  Yamens  are  built  on  the  same  gen 
eral  plan,  namely  four  divisions  consisting  of  courts 
and  buildings.  The  first  division  contains  the 
prison,  also  the  quarters  for  the  lictors,  the  ward 
ens,  porters,  etc.,  the  second  is  given  up  to  the 


Outwitted  247 

various  offices  connected  with  the  administra 
tion  of  justice;  here,  also,  is  the  room  where 
the  accused  is  tortured  to  elicit  from  him  a 
confession  of  guilt.  The  third  division  is  the 
private  office  of  the  mandarin,  together  with 
the  rooms  for  the  reception  of  guests  and  the 
dwellings  of  the  secretaries.  The  last  division 
is  wholly  given  over  to  the  mandarin  and  his 
family. 

The  porter  closed  and  locked  the  gates ;  he  moved 
leisurely  and  indifferently.  Follingsbee  called  to 
him  in  an  angry,  raucous  voice,  "Dog!  make  haste, 
announce  to  the  Magistrate  that  a  message 
awaits  him  from  her  Sacred  Majesty,  the  Empress 
Dowager,  that  her  courier  has  ridden  without  inter 
mission  for  many  hours,  killing  six  horses  on  the 
road,  to  deliver  her  august  commands  into  his 
unworthy  hands. " 

Astounded,  the  porter  stared  at  the  imperial 
messenger  and  noted  that  the  bloodshot  eyes,  the 
dirt-coated  face,  the  stained  garments,  did  in 
truth  bespeak  one  who  had  just  completed  a  long 
toilsome  journey.  But  not  till  Follingsbee  flour 
ished  before  his  eyes  the  paper  bearing  the  imperial 
seal  did  he  cast  aside  all  doubt  and  throw  himself 
on  his  knees. 

"Do  you  hear?"  demanded  Follingsbee. 

"Yes,"  he  replied  humbly. 

"Hasten  and  obey." 

The  man  rose  and  shouted  lustily.  From  a 
building  on  the  right  of  the  court  some  half  dozen 


248          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

lictors  rushed  out,  adjusting  their  official  hats  as 
they  ran. 

"On  your  knees!  On  your  knees!"  cried  the 
porter.  ' '  A  messenger  from  the  Lord  of  Ten  Thou 
sand  Years  has  arrived!"  Every  man  prostrated 
himself. 

Follingsbee  was  in  no  mood  for  ceremonies. 
"Make  haste!"  he  roared  with  all  the  strength  of 
his  husky  voice;  "summon  the  Magistrate!" 

"Follow  us,  follow  us,  my  Lord,  we  lead  you  to 
him, "  cried  two  of  the  lictors. 

"Lead  me  to  him,  dogs!  What  language  is 
this?  Does  the  petty  Magistrate  of  this  Yamen 
receive  thus  the  commands  of  the  glorious,  the 
great  Tzti  Hsi-Kuan  yu-K'ang-i-chao-yu-chuang- 
ch'eng-shou-Kung-chi'in-hsien-chung-hsi?  Let  the 
Magi  strate  appear ! ' ' 

' '  We  obey !  We  obey ! ' '  cried  the  lictors.  ' '  The 
Magistrate  is  with  the  Senior  Secretary  of  the 
Hing-Pu,  who  arrived  a  half  hour  since ;  but  we  will 
summon  him  to  my  Lord  forthwith. " 

They  started  to  run.  Follingsbee  seemed  to 
feel  the  blood  stagnate  in  his  veins.  He  had  ar 
rived  too  late!  The  race  was  lost;  the  Senior 
Secretary  had  won  by  half  an  hour.  Everything 
was  finished;  Fen-Sha  was  already  hacked  into 
mince-meat ;  and  he  was  caught  like  a  rat  in  a  trap 
from  which  it  was  vain  now  to  try  and  escape. 

Something,  he  knew  not  what,  within  him 
groaned.  It  sounded  hideously  loud.  Had  the 
men  heard  him?  Those  near  him  were  regarding 


Outwitted  249 

him  curiously.  He  straightened  himself  suddenly. 
The  action  seemed  to  stimulate  his  power  of 
thought. 

1 '  Halt ! "  he  called  to  the  two  lictors.  They  were 
opening  the  gate  of  the  second  enclosure.  Obedi 
ently  they  waited. 

"What  execution  has  taken  place  within  the 
hour?"  he  asked. 

"No  execution  has  taken  place  within  the  hour, " 
they  answered. 

"When  did  the  last  execution  take  place?" 

"At  the  hour  of  the  Sheep." 

"The  criminal's  name?" 

"Ly-Ko-Nan,  the  river  robber." 

"It  is  well.  Summon  the  Magistrate.  Let  it 
be  done  quickly,  but  quietly.  The  Senior  Secre 
tary  of  the  Hing-Pu  must  not  hear  of  the  arrival  of 
the  imperial  courier,  lest  he  take  alarm  and  at 
tempt  to  withdraw.  This  is  important.  Go!" 

The  two  lictors  ran;  the  others  whispered  to 
gether  ;  the  Senior  Secretary  was  in  disgrace  then ! 
What  had  he  done?  And  who  was  great  enough  to 
escape  the  Old  Buddha's  wrath? 

Follingsbee  waited.  The  danger  of  the  game 
for  him  had  increased  tenfold  but  Fen-Sha  still 
lived.  The  next  few  minutes  would  decide 
whether  he  could  rescue  the  young  Chinese  re 
former,  or  whether  he  had  imperilled  his  own  life 
futilely. 

If  the  Magistrate  appeared  alone,  all  might  yet 
work  out  well;  if  he  came  accompanied  by  the 


250          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

Senior  Secretary,  the  game  was  up.  Follingsbee 
felt  himself  growing  weaker  and  weaker.  In  the 
bottom  of  his  soul  a  sickening  fear  assailed  him. 
Had  the  porter  or  one  of  the  lictors  looked  at  him 
then,  they  would  have  seen  a  shudder  pass  over  him 
and  his  eyes  roam  over  the  court  like  a  man  who  is 
in  dread  of  death.  Suspicious  and  cunning  as 
those  in  Yamens  are  prone  to  be,  their  confidence 
in  his  integrity  would  have  been  shaken  and  detec 
tion  would  have  quickly  followed,  for  at  that 
moment  Follingsbee  had  neither  wit  nor  strength 
left  with  which  to  defend  himself.  Soon  he  fell 
in  a  kind  of  mental  distraction.  His  thoughts 
flew,  not  to  the  condemned  man  he  had  come  to 
rescue ;  not  to  A-lu-te,  risking  her  life  for  her  lover 
behind  the  imprisoning  walls  of  the  Summer 
Palace;  not  to  Betty,  the  girl  he  loved;  but  to  the 
fat  little  Mongol  waiting  at  the  inn  of  the  Five 
Felicities  near  the  Mongol  market  for  the  return 
of  Lla,  the  racing  camel.  Somehow  it  seemed  to 
Follingsbee  that  the  necessity  of  communicating 
with  the  Mongol  was  paramount  to  every  other 
necessity.  "Yes,  yes,"  he  said  to  himself,  "I 
must  take  back  Lla  to  him;  it  is  impossible  that  I 
should  die  before  I  have  done  that."  And  he 
spread  out  his  legs  to  steady  himself.  "A  great 
runner  is  Lla;  the  Mongol  is  right,  she  is  incom 
parable.  I  must  return  to  tell  him  the  wager  is 
his.  Why  am  I  kept  waiting  here?" 

Rage  possessed  him  at  the  thought  that  any  man 
dare  attempt  to  delay  his  return,  and,  with  rage, 


Outwitted  251 

came  strength.  He  stamped  his  feet  and  shouted 
hoarsely.  The  lictors  ran  to  him;  they  could 
not  understand  his  muttered  words.  Voices  were 
heard  in  the  second  court ;  the  next  moment  the 
gates  were  opened  and  the  Magistrate  appeared. 
He  was  alone.  He  came  forward  slowly,  then 
halted,  hesitating  whether  to  advance  or  summon 
this  imperious  messenger  to  approach  him.  His 
face  expressed  a  curious  blending  of  deference 
and  suspicion.  Follingsbee  did  not  move,  instead 
he  frowned,  and  his  bloodshot  eyes  glared  at  the 
Magistrate,  while  he  held  in  his  hands  the  yellow 
paper  A-lu-te  had  given  him.  The  Magistrate 
was  alarmed,  but  still  inclined  to  incredulity.  It 
was  strange,  he  thought,  that  the  great  Old  Buddha 
should  send  a  courier  to  him  right  on  the  heels  as 
it  were  of  the  Senior  Secretary,  who  came  directly 
from  the  "Sacred  Mother"  herself,  bearing  an 
important  command. 

"Where  are  you  from?"  he  asked. 

Follingsbee,  still  frowning,  thrust  the  paper 
before  the  Magistrate,  displaying  the  Empress 
Dowager's  private  seal.  The  Magistrate  gave  one 
glance  at  the  seal  and  dropped  on  his  knees,  while 
he  uttered  the  ceremonial  greeting  of  the  distant 
official  to  his  sovereign,  "Ah  ha,  Ching  Sheng  An" 
(Your  servant  gives  you  greeting). 

Still  kneeling  he  read  the  paper  by  the  light  of 
the  lanterns  his  servants  held  on  either  side  of  him. 

1 '  A  Vermilion  Rescript .  Information  has  reached 
us  in  the  seclusion  of  our  Palace,  that  our  Chinese 


252          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

subject,  Fen-Sha,  has  been  wrongfully  accused  of 
heinous  offences  against  the  Throne  and  that  the 
courts  deliberately  obstructed  the  proper  hearing 
of  his  case,  instigated  thereto  by  certain  guilty 
parties  in  high  places  who  desired  to  shield  them 
selves  and  whose  names  are  now  known  to  us. 
Our  soul  is  vexed  with  such  abominable  treachery 
which  we  shall  know  how  to  deal  with  in  due  season. 
Let  Fen-Sha  be  liberated  without  the  fraction  of  a 
moment's  loss  of  time.  Any  delay  in  this  matter 
will  involve  heavy  penalties.  This  decree  to  be 
conveyed  by  special  courier.  Let  everyone 
obey." 

The  Magistrate  was  now  thoroughly  frightened. 
Fen-Sha  had  been  tried  in  his  court  in  accordance 
with  Chinese  law.  He  had  been  convicted  and 
sentenced  to  the  lingering  death  and  the  Senior 
Secretary  had  arrived  less  than  an  hour  ago  to 
hasten  the  execution  of  the  sentence. 

The  Senior  Secretary,  said  the  Magistrate  to 
himself,  was  evidently  one  of  those  in  "  high  places  " 
the  Old  Buddha  meant,  and  already  he  was  a 
fish  in  the  jar.  But  he,  the  Magistrate,  would 
hasten  to  comply  with  the  Vermilion  Decree,  and 
so  save  himself  from  imprisonment  in  that  same 
jar. 

"The  keys!"  he  commanded,  and  strode  to 
wards  the  prison.  Follingsbee  followed  like  one 
who  is  sleep  walking.  The  heavy  door  was  un 
locked  and  it  swung  open  with  a  grating  sound. 
A  horrible  stench  assailed  the  nostrils,  shrill  cries 


Outwitted  253 

issued  from  the  dark  interior  and  mingled  with 
the  clanking  of  chains.  The  Magistrate  and  Fol- 
lingsbee  entered,  preceded  by  the  lictors  holding 
lanterns. 

The  enclosure  was  small;  on  three  sides  were 
ranged  the  cells  of  the  prisoners.  Death  and  terror 
hovered  in  the  air.  Around  the  ankle  of  every 
prisoner,  iron  rings  were  attached,  connected  by  a 
foot  length  of  chain,  to  which  was  fastened  a  five 
foot  long  block  of  wood.  Some  of  the  prisoners 
had  their  hands  free,  more  were  handcuffed;  the 
shackles  fastened  by  chains  to  the  iron  rings  on 
their  ankles.  Here  and  there  a  malefactor  had 
a  chain  around  his  waist  and  another  around  his 
neck,  both  being  attached  to  iron  rings  on  his 
ankles  and  iron  bracelets  on  his  wrists.  The 
weight  of  all  this  metal  made  movement  almost 
impossible,  or  so  painful  the  prisoners  preferred  to 
remain  for  hours,  days,  even  weeks,  without  chang 
ing  their  position.  Their  clothes  hung  from  them 
in  shreds,  or  had  dropped  entirely  off,  disclosing 
deep  welts  on  legs  and  shoulders,  made  by  the 
whippings  they  had  received. 

Follingsbee  stared  with  glassy  eyes,  which  only 
half  saw,  at  a  man  whose  swollen  lips  were  cut  to 
ribbons,  whose  teeth  wobbled  loosely  in  their 
sockets  from  the  blows  administered  upon  his 
mouth  with  a  heavy  strip  of  leather.  He  could  not 
speak  and  had  been  unable  to  eat  for  many  days. 
The  whites  of  his  eyes  shone  ghastly.  He  was 
slowly  dying  from  pain  and  hunger.  Next  to 


254          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

him  lay  a  young  man  who,  though  more  heavily 
weighted  with  irons  than  many  of  the  others,  was 
neither  as  feeble  or  emaciated  as  his  fellow-prison 
ers.  This  was  due  to  the  large  bribes  the  guards 
had  received  to  keep  him  well  furnished  with  food 
and  drink,  and  also  because  the  death  sentence 
had  been  pronounced  upon  him.  The  authorities 
permitted  such  indulgences  (when  richly  paid  for) 
that  the  prisoner  might  not  enter  the  spirit  world 
a  half-starved  shadow  and  be  tempted  to  return 
and  haunt  those  who  had  condemned  him.  It 
was  before  this  man  the  Magistrate  halted.  ' '  The 
Sacred  Mother  in  her  great  beneficence  has  par 
doned  you  and  commanded  your  release.  You 
are  free  to  go  hence."  Astonishment  seized  the 
man,  he  looked  from  the  Magistrate  to  Follings- 
bee  and  back  again  to  the  Magistrate,  without 
uttering  a  syllable.  The  chains  were  unlocked 
from  his  body;  they  fell  from  him  with  a  loud 
clanking  noise.  Cries  and  groans  now  came  from 
the  prisoners  near  him,  "Pardon,  pardon,  for  us, 
too,  O,  Lord!"  The  cry  was  taken  up  by  other 
poor  wretches  in  more  distant  cells,  till  the  stinking 
air  teemed  with  sobs,  supplications,  and  groans. 
The  Magistrate  gave  command  to  beat  them  into 
silence. 

The  young  man  who  found  himself  so  unexpect 
edly  free  of  his  chains,  fell  on  his  knees  and  begged 
the  Magistrate  to  thank  the  "Beneficent  Mother" ; 
then  he  rose  stiffly,  stood  a  moment  accustoming 
himself  to  his  unfettered  condition,  and  slowly 


Outwitted  255 

followed  the  Magistrate  and  Follingsbee  from  that 
hellish  place. 

In  the  outer  court  the  Magistrate  invited  the 
imperial  courier  to  take  refreshment  in  the  guest 
house.  Much  there  was  he  wished  to  learn  and 
here  in  the  court,  in  the  presence  of  the  warden, 
the  lictors,  he  would  not  speak  openly.  In  a 
strange  tongue  and  in  a  broken,  indistinct,  halting 
voice  Follingsbee  answered.  The  Magistrate 
looked  blank.  "What  do  you  say?"  he  asked. 

Again  Follingsbee  answered  and  again  in  English : 
' '  The-Mongol-was-right.  Lla-is-a-great -runner. 
I-must-to-Peking-and-tell-him. " 

It  was  then  that  the  released  prisoner  began  to 
tremble  violently.  He  looked  toward  the  great 
gates  already  unlocked  and  opened  by  the  porter. 
No  one  would  prevent  him  if  he  dashed  out,  such 
haste  would  be  natural  to  a  man  who  had  just 
received  his  pardon  and  been  liberated  from  prison. 
It  seemed  for  a  moment  as  if  he  would  run.  Then 
he  deliberately  turned,  flung  himself  on  the  ground 
before  Follingsbee,  and  in  a  loud  voice  said,  "I 
hear,  Imperial  Edict  shall  be  obeyed.  I  am  ready 
to  accompany  you  back  to  Peking. " 

On  hearing  this,  the  Magistrate  addressed  his 
erstwhile  prisoner  in  wheedling  tones.  "Fen- 
Sha,  you  are  going  to  Peking.  I  do  not  think  you 
have  any  complaint  to  make  of  me.  I  have  not 
eaten  your  money  and,  if  you  have  been  a  prisoner 
in  my  Yamen,  it  was  because  those  higher  in 
authority  than  I  convicted  you.  You  see  I^do 


256          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

not  conceal  the  truth  from  you.  Imperial  Edict 
now  summons  you  to  Peking.  May  your  report 
of  my  conduct  be  a  good  one.  I  offer  up  wishes  for 
your  prosperity.  When  you  return  my  services 
are  yours." 

"Your  conduct  towards  me  has  been  irreproach 
able,"  lied  Fen-Sha,  "my  report  will  be  an  honest 


one." 


He  touched  Follingsbee's  sleeve.  "It  is  time. 
Come,"  he  said,  and  added  firmly,  distinctly,  "To 
Peking." 

Follingsbee  nodded,  he  understood  that  he  was 
to  return  to  Peking.  The  great  gates  closed 
behind  them.  They  were  alone  on  the  street 
except  for  the  wretch  with  the  cangue  on  his  neck, 
who  still  sat  by  the  Yamen  entrance.  He  had 
dropped  asleep  exhausted,  but  woke  to  whine  for 
help  as  the  two  young  men  came  out.  Fen-Sha 
had  seized  his  rescuer's  arm.  "Hurry!"  he 
whispered  in  English.  Follingsbee  jerked  himself 
free.  "Yes,  yes,"  he  said,  "but  where  is  Lla? 
I  cannot  go  without  Lla!" 

In  vain  Fen-Sha  urged  him  in  a  low  voice,  vi 
brant  with  fear,  not  to  linger,  but  to  hasten  with 
all  speed  from  the  place.  Follingsbee  planted  his 
feet  firmly  and  wagged  his  head  to  and  fro.  "  Un 
doubtedly  you  do  not  know  Lla;  she  can  run  like 
the  wind,  no  animal  can  compare  to  her.  I  will 
not  go  without  her."  From  behind  the  Yamen 
walls  came  the  sound  of  loud  and  confused  voices. 
Fen-Sha  seized  Follingsbee's  arm  again  and  at- 


Outwitted  257 

I 

tempted  to  drag  him  off.  His  efforts  were  futile. 
The  wretch  in  the  cangue  whined  louder,  showing 
his  long  yellow  teeth;  he  stretched  out  a  naked 
arm  in  supplication.  Follingsbee  stared  at  him 
stupidly,  then  gravely  inquired,  "Have  you 
seen  Lla?"  A  cunning  look  came  into  the  man's 
drawn  face.  "My  Lord,"  he  said,  "how  should  I 
know?  Perhaps  I  have.  Ease  me  but  a  few 
small  seconds  of  this  awful  weight  by  holding  it 
up  that  I  may  think  clearly." 

He  had  scarcely  finished  speaking  before  Fol 
lingsbee  was  tugging  at  the  wooden  collar  and, 
with  all  his  strength,  was  endeavouring  to  wrench 
open  the  lock. 

"Stop!  Stop!"  cried  Fen-Sha,  in  his  ear.  "We 
are  lost  if  you  do  that,  and  we  are  lost  if  you  do  not 
leave  this  place  immediately.  Hark!  What  are 
they  howling  about  in  there?"  He  stood  an 
instant  intently  listening  to  the  voices,  stridently 
loud  now,  on  the  other  side  of  the  wall. 

"Hell!"  he  muttered,  "the  Senior  Secretary 
is  there  haranguing  them!  We  are  lost  without 
doubt  now  if  I  cannot  induce  this  madman  to  run. " 

He  turned  again  to  Follingsbee  and  saw,  to  his 
amazement,  that,  with  the  superhuman  strength 
of  the  delirious,  he  actually  had  wrenched  apart 
the  locked  cangue.  The  huge  wooden  collar  fell 
with  a  dull  thud  to  the  ground.  The  thief,  with 
out  stopping  to  utter  a  word  of  gratitude,  ran  off 
on  all  fours  like  an  escaped  wild  beast.  This 
enraged  Follingsbee;  he  tore  after  him,  shouting 

17 


258          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

angrily,  "You  devil's  imp,  you  black  rogue,  stop! 
I  tell  you  stop!  You  said  you  knew  where  Lla 
was!" 

Fen-Sha  rushed  after  Follingsbee,  glad  that  at 
last  he  was  running  from  the  dangerous  vicinity 
of  the  Yamen,  it  mattered  not  on  what  absurd 
errand.  Of  a  sudden  Follingsbee  stopped,  put  his 
hand  to  his  forehead,  his  feet  slipped  from  under 
him,  and  he  sank  to  the  ground,  a  loose-jointed, 
inert  mass. 

Fen-Sha  was  a  small  man,  as  the  Chinese  from 
the  South  are  apt  to  be,  but  his  muscles  were 
brawny.  He  stooped  and  picking  up  Follingsbee 
flung  him  over  his  shoulder.  Bent  double  under 
his  burden  he  ran  on.  The  American's  legs  were 
long,  they  scraped  the  ground,  impeding  the  flight. 
Fen-Sha  turned  into  a  side  street,  narrow,  twisting 
like  a  corkscrew.  He  ran  till  his  lungs  were  ready 
to  burst,  then  he  slowed  to  a  snail's  pace.  He 
could  go  no  farther  with  his  burden.  In  the  dis 
tance  he  heard  shouting;  it  grew  louder,  nearer, 
momentarily.  "The  entire  Yamen  has  turned  out 
to  get  us,"  he  panted.  A  cart  rattled  around  the 
corner  of  an  adjoining  street.  A  lantern  swung 
from  the  shafts.  Fen-Sha  hailed  the  driver;  the 
man  gave  no  heed,  unless  it  was  to  urge  his  mule 
to  a  faster  trot.  Fen-Sha  made  shift  to  follow, 
still  calling.  "Idiot!"  yelled  the  driver  back  at 
him,  "the  foreign  Excellency  I  am  driving  doesn't 
want  such  scum  as  you  for  company. " 
\  Fen-Sha  dropped  Follingsbee  from  his  back  as 


Outwitted  259 

he  would  have  dropped  a  bag  of  coal  or  any  kind 
of  commodity  and  bounded  after  the  cart,  calling 
in  English,  "Help!  help!  an  American  is  dying!" 

A  sharp,  imperative  voice  from  the  interior  of 
the  clumsy  vehicle  ordered  the  driver  to  halt  and 
a  foreigner  sprang  from  the  cart.  The  cries  of  the 
pursuers  drew  nearer  and  nearer.  "Quick!" 
gasped  Fen-Sha.  "  An  American,  Mr.  Follingsbee, 
has  dropped  from  exhaustion  back  here.  Will 
you  take  him  to  the  American  Consulate?" 

"Not  by  a  long  shot!"  answered  the  foreigner, 
who  was  known  all  over  the  foreign  concession  of 
Tientsin  as  Billy  Lade  of  the  Hanky  Spanky,  as 
the  Hong-Kong  and  Shanghai  Banking  Corpora 
tion  was  called.  "If  the  chap  is  Follingsbee  he's 
a  friend  of  mine  and  goes  to  my  house.  Where  is 
he?"  "I  will  bring  him,"  replied  Fen-Sha,  and 
ran  back  a  short  distance.  Billy  Lade  ran,  too. 
He  did  not  hesitate  when  he  saw  a  man  in  Chinese 
dress  lying  in  the  dirt  of  the  street.  He  had 
acquaintance  with  the  incomprehensible  fondness 
of  his  friend  for  masquerading  in  native  garb. 
He  assisted  Fen-Sha  in  carrying  him  to  the  cart. 
The  sound  of  many  men  running  mingled  plainly 
now  with  the  shouting. 

"The  Yamen  officers!"  whispered  Fen-Sha. 
"They  are  after  me.  Follingsbee  got  me  out  of 
prison  at  the  risk  of  his  life ;  hide  him  under  the 
seat;  tell  the  men  when  they  stop  you,  you  saw  me 
running  in  that  direction,"  pointing  to  an  alley 
on  the  left. 


260          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

"Got  a  name?"  asked  Billy  Lade,  peering  into 
the  round  boyish  face.  The  other  nodded. 
"Well,  what  in  hell  is  it?"  "Fen-Sha,"  he  an 
swered  and  vanished  in  the  darkness  of  the  street. 

Even'  Billy  Lade  had  heard  of  Fen-Sha,  the 
indefatigable  organizer  of  reform  clubs  in  the 
North  and  South  of  China;  a  man  of  sincerity  and 
high  purpose  and  loved  by  the  people. 

Billy  Lade  climbed  into  his  cart  and  ordered  the 
driver  to  proceed  without  undue  haste  and  in 
structed  him  what  to  say  should  anyone  stop  to 
question  them. 

"And,"  he  continued  menacingly  in  his  execra 
ble  Chinese,  "if  you  speak  a  word  other  than  I 
have  told  you,  I  will  deliver  to  the  Yamen  officials 
your  brother  for  complicity  in  that  Nin-Yeng 
affair." 

The  driver  required  no  other  inducement  to 
obey  Billy  Lade's  instruction. 

The  shouts  behind  them  now  resolved  them 
selves  in  loud  commands  to  halt.  The  cart  came 
to  a  standstill ;  it  was  surrounded  by  a  rush  of  men 
waving  lanterns  in  their  left  hands  and  short 
swords  in  their  right. 

"Who  rides  here?"  rasped  an  authoritative 
voice.  A  lantern  was  thrust  into  the  cart,  fol 
lowed  by  the  yellow  countenance  of  a  lictor  with 
fantastic  headgear. 

"Neither  devil  nor  ghost,  but  may  both  haunt 
your  steps  till  you  learn  better  manners, "  said  Billy 
Lade  coolly.  The  man  on  recognizing  a  foreigner 


Outwitted  261 

drew  back,  muttering  something  under  his  garlic- 
reeking  breath,  which  might  have  been  an  apology 
or  might  have  been  an  imprecation. 

The  frightened  driver  was  now  questioned.  He 
replied  that  he  had  seen  a  man  running  rapidly 
down  the  alley  on  the  left,  where  he  had  disap 
peared,  he  thought,  in  one  of  the  houses. 

"This  way!"  yelled  a  voice.  The  next  minute 
the  street  was  deserted  save  for  the  cart  and  its 
occupants. 

"Home!  And  drive  like  the  devil/'  said  Billy 
Lade. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

BETRAYED 

THE  Empress  Dowager  had  slept  over-long, 
which  was  one  of  the  reasons  she  was  in  a  bad 
humour.  Also  she  had  dreamed  much  and  the 
nature  of  the  dreams  disturbed  her.  She  had 
seen  a  great  catafalque  borne  by  all  the  Imperial 
Clansmen  in  the  realm,  descendants  of  the  mighty 
Nurhachu.  Behind  the  catafalque  appeared  two 
splendid  palanquins  with  tightly  drawn  curtains 
of  apricot  silk  emblazoned  with  the  dragon  and 
phoenix.  After  the  palanquins  came  a  long  pro 
cession  of  palace  eunuchs,  holding  aloft  gaudy 
honorific  umbrellas,  upon  which  were  painted  in 
large  characters,  not  only  her  name,  and  the  name 
of  the  young  Emperor,  but  those  of  Manchu 
rulers  long  dead.  In  the  far  distance,  so  far  she 
could  not  discern  their  faces,  tottered  feebly  a 
woman,  holding  by  the  hand  a  little  boy.  The 
procession  passed  through  many  towns  and  vil 
lages  unheeded  by  their  inhabitants,  who  were 
gazing  half  fearfully,  half  rapturously,  at  a  bird  so 
monstrously  large,  the  tip  of  each  outspread  wing 
was  lost  in  the  blue  horizon.  The  bird  held  in 

262 


Betrayed  263 

his  beak  the  seal  of  state  upon  which  were  the 
characters  "lawfully  transmitted  authority." 

The  Empress  Dowager  determined  to  consult 
the  court  astrologers  as  to  the  meaning  of  the 
dream.  She  was  about  to  command  their  appear 
ance  within  the  next  hour,  when  her  eye  chanced 
to  rest  on  the  forefinger  of  her  right  hand.  The 
seal  ring  which  had  sparkled  there  since  she  had 
been  supreme  in  China  was  gone. 

She  uttered  a  piercing  shriek,  then  another  and 
another.  Eunuchs,  slaves,  amahs,  and  court 
attendants  waiting  without  rushed  in  alarm  to  her 
bedside.  A-lu-te  and  Chou-Chau,  who  had  just 
been  relieved  from  their  long  night  vigil  and  were 
hastening  to  their  pavilion,  turned  and  ran  back. 
They  found  the  Empress  Dowager  sitting  up  in 
bed,  waving  away  the  frightened  servant  holding 
her  usual  morning  bowl  of  lotus-root  porridge. 

"My  ring!"  she  screamed,  "my  ring  is  gone;  it 
has  been  stolen  while  I  slept."  Her  beautifully 
modelled  little  hand  was  outstretched;  the  jade 
ring  which  had  always  adorned  that  perfect  hand 
was  no  longer  there.  All  were  aghast.  The  faces 
of  the  night  watchers  went  white  with  terror. 
Chou-Chau  trembled  like  a  fragile  reed  in  a  wind ; 
she  began  to  cry.  The  Empress  Dowager  turned 
upon  her  in  savage  anger  and  exclaimed,  "That 
woman  is  the  guilty  one ;  gaze  on  her  all  of  you  and 
tell  me  if  she  acts  not  like  a  detected  thief. " 

"  Jur"  (yes),  they  said,  glad  to  have  the  Old 
Buddha's  wrath  concentrated  upon  one  person. 


264          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

Only  Chou-Chau,  almost  dead  with  fear,  and 
A-lu-te  remained  silent. 

"Where  is  my  ring?"  shrieked  the  Empress 
Dowager.  Chou-Chau  fell  on  her  trembling 
knees  and,  sobbing  more  violently  than  before, 
protested  her  innocence. 

"Call  the  Chief  Eunuch,"  commanded  the 
Empress  Dowager.  "He  will  know  how  to  deal 
with  her  and  obtain  a  confession. " 

"He  went  to  Peking  at  the  hour  of  the  Tig 
er,"  said  a  eunuch  knocking  his  head  on  the 
floor. 

"Let  this  woman  be  locked  up  then  till  he 
returns."  Two  eunuchs  seized  the  wretched 
Chou-Chau  and  were  dragging  her  off,  when 
A-lu-te,  pointing  to  the  left  hand  of  the  Empress 
Dowager,  said  boldly,  "Great  Old  Ancestor,  the 
ring  is  there;  your  Majesty  no  doubt  changed  it  in 
your  sleep. " 

The  Empress  Dowager  looked.  On  the  second 
ringer  of  her  left  hand  she  saw  the  jade  seal  ring. 
Intense  relief  blended  with  suspicion  and  surprise 
showed  on  her  face,  but  she  did  not  speak.  Her 
eyes  glanced  from  the  ring  to  the  people  around 
her,  then  sank  to  the  floor.  All  felt  her  silence  to 
be  ominous.  The  sigh  of  relief  which  had  breathed 
from  their  hearts  when  they  saw  the  ring  was 
already  stifled.  No  one  moved.  The  eunuchs 
who  were  dragging  Chou-Chau  from  the  room 
stood  still,  their  grasp  on  the  sick  girl  loosened. 
Every  eye  was  turned  toward  the  Old  Buddha, 


Betrayed  265 

as  if  something  were  about  to  happen,  something 
unusual  and  to  be  dreaded. 

At  last  the  Empress  Dowager  spoke.  Her  voice 
was  quiet,  too  quiet  A-lu-te  thought,  as  she  tried 
to  still  the  throbbing  in  her  veins. 

"Where, "  said  the  Empress  Dowager,  not  lifting 
her  eyes,  "where  did  that  mud  come  from?" 

They  saw  now  that  she  had  been  staring  at 
small  mud  marks  on  the  floor;  they  blinked  their 
amazement,  and  mutely  echoed  her  question, 
"Where  did  the  mud  come  from?" 

The  Empress  Dowager's  fastidiousness  was  only 
too  well  known.  Her  abhorrence  of  anything 
even  remotely  suggestive  of  dust  and  dirt  was  a 
pronounced  characteristic  of  her  nature,  and  that 
portion  of  the  Palace  reserved  for  her  special 
occupancy  was  kept  immaculately  clean.  Such  a 
thing  as  mud  stains  in  the  imperial  bedchamber  was 
inconceivable.  Eunuchs,  amahs,  and  court  ladies 
could  scarcely  believe  the  evidence  of  their  eyes. 

"That,"  said  the  Empress  Dowager  slowly, 
pointing  to  the  stains,  "that  was  brought  in  here 
this  night." 

She  looked  around  at  her  attendants,  her  bright 
eyes  snapping.  "All  who  watched  in  my  room, 
come  forward,"  she  commanded. 

The  eunuchs,  amahs,  and  slave-girls  promptly 
ranged  themselves  in  a  line  before  her  bed.  Chou- 
Chau  came  also,  her  face  pitifully  white  and  drawn, 
her  eyes  like  those  of  a  frightened  animal.  A-lu-te 
placed  herself  beside  Chou-Chau. 


266          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

"You  will  each  examine  the  shoes  of  the  one 
beside  you  and  report  upon  their  condition,"  said 
the  Empress  Dowager. 

The  eunuchs  began;  the  report,  always  favour 
able,  finally  reached  Chou-Chau.  She,  poor 
thing,  was  looking  blankly  down  at  A-lu-te's 
dainty,  embroidered  shoes.  They  were  stained, 
spattered  with  mud.  She  began  to  cry  again 
helplessly.  A-lu-te  had  been  her  only  friend  in 
the  Palace,  the  only  one  who  ever  spoke  a  kind 
word  to  her,  and  she  could  not  bear  the  thought  of 
accusing  her. 

"Well,"  the  Empress  Dowager  flashed  out  at 
her,  "are  your  silly  eyes  blind,  or  has  your  tongue 
lost  its  power  of  speech?" 

"There  is  mud  upon  her  shoes,"  she  faltered  in 
a  voice  so  low  it  was  almost  inaudible.  She 
clutched  at  her  throat. 

"What  does  the  creature  say?"  blazed  the  Be 
nign  Mother. 

"She  says  there  is  mud  upon  my  shoes,"  said 
A-lu-te,  while  she  clasped  Cliou-Chau's  arm  firmly 
to  prevent  the  girl  from  falling. 

The  Empress  Dowager  turned  to  A-lu-te. 

"Is  it  true,  child?"  she  asked  with  unexpected 
gentleness. 

"It  is  true." 

"Why  did  you  leave  your  post  last  night  and 
where  did  you  go?  Speak  freely  and  do  not  dis 
semble. " 

"After  the  Great  Old  Ancestor  found  rest  in 


Betrayed  267 

slumber  last  night,  her  handmaiden  Wang-ti 
ceased  her  ministrations,  yet  remained  near  the 
sacred  couch,  prepared  to  watch  there  till  dawn. 
But  Chou-Chau,  whose  sickness  is  truly  great, 
choked  with  the  cough  which  she  was  trying  to 
suppress.  Her  face  grew  purple,  her  eyes  bulged 
from  her  head,  and,  fearing  she  would  pass  away, 
your  handmaiden  sped  out  into  the  dark  night, 
to  the  marble  steps  leading  to  the  lake,  and  dipped 
her  handkerchief  into  the  water,  then  returning 
moistened  Chou-Chau's  face.  This  is  the  explana 
tion  of  the  marks  upon  the  shoes  of  the  Great  Old 
Ancestor's  handmaiden";  she  ceased  speaking. 
Her  lovely  dark  eyes  were  lowered,  while  her 
slender  form  stood  erect  as  a  young  willow,  giving 
her  an  air  which  was  at  once  deferential,  modest, 
and  fearless. 

"How  pretty  she  is,"  the  Empress  Dowager 
almost  spoke  her  thoughts  aloud.  Then  she 
looked  at  Chou-Chau,  whose  sickly  pallor  could 
not  be  disguised  by  the  heavy  coating  of  red  paint 
on  her  thin  cheeks. 

Tzu  Hsi  had  never  cared  for  Chou-Chau;  the 
girl  was  stupid  and  stupid  people  always  brought 
out  the  worst  in  her  nature;  her  indifference  had 
gradually  grown  into  positive  dislike.  She  was 
glad  of  an  excuse  to  throw  all  the  blame  upon 
Chou-Chau.  Her  tone  changed,  it  became  sharp, 
abrupt,  angry. 

"So  it  is  you  who  are  to  blame;  you  wanted 
water,  and  in  your  boundless  selfishness  you 


268          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

curbed  your  foolish  cough  till  you  frightened 
Wang-ti  and  caused  her  not  only  to  run  the  risk  of 
drowning,  for  the  night  was  dark,  and  the  lake 
deep  by  this  pavilion,  but  you  also  hoped  to  draw 
upon  her  head  the  punishment  which  you  merited. 
I  will  see  the  Chief  Eunuch  about  you  later.  Go 
to  your  room." 

The  frightened  girl  obeyed.  Steps  were  heard 
in  the  outer  room;  the  silk  curtains  were  raised 
and  Li  himself  appeared.  An  air  of  suppressed 
excitement  was  apparent  in  him.  Chou-Chau 
heard  the  Empress  Dowager  call  out,  "You  did  not 
go  to  Peking  after  all?  It  is  well,  I  need  you  this 
morning." 

One  long  deep  shudder  passed  over  Chou-Chau ; 
then  she  crept  slowly  back  to  her  room. 

The  Chief  Eunuch  approached  close  to  the 
Empress  Dowager  and  in  a  low,  confidential  voice 
told  her  that,  before  he  had  gone  far  on  the  road 
to  Peking,  he  fell  in  with  a  Manchu  official,  also 
bound  for  the  capital,  and  had  conversation  with 
him.  The  nature  of  this  conversation  was  such 
that  he  desired  the  official  to  return  with  him 
forthwith  to  the  Summer  Palace.  He  was  now  out 
side  the  gates  awaiting  permission  to  be  received 
in  audience. 

"Who  is  this  official?"  asked  Tzu  Hsi. 

Li  leaned  forward  and  whispered  the  name  in 
her  ear.  When  he  straightened  himself  again  he 
turned  his  head  slowly  to  look  at  A-lu-te  out  of 
little  eyes  that  gleamed  with  malignant  triumph. 


Betrayed  269 

A-lu-te  felt  suddenly  weak;  the  pulse  beat 
oppressively  in  her  temples.  Who  was  this 
Manchu  official  and  what  had  he  told  the  Chief 
Eunuch  that  he  should  return  in  haste  to  the 
Palace,  bringing  the  man  with  him? 

"I  will  give  him  audience  within  the  hour," 
announced  the  Empress  Dowager.  "Hsiao  Kuni- 
ang, "  she  said  gaily  to  A-lu-te,  "go  and  put  on 
your  loveliest  gown,  I  want  you  to  look  your  best 
this  morning  when  I  send  for  you.  I  will  give 
you  an  ornament  for  your  hair.  Bring  me  box  two 
on  the  first  shelf  in  the  jewel  room. " 

The  jewel  room  adjoined  the  Empress  Dowager's 
bedroom;  it  was  lined  from  floor  to  ceiling  with 
shelves  covered  with  rows  upon  rows  of  ebony 
boxes,  their  numbers  indicated  on  yellow  strips 
of  paper  pasted  on  the  covers.  More  than  three 
thousand  cases  containing  Tzu-Hsi's  jewels  were 
kept  in  this  room.  A-lu-te  found  box  two ;  she  held 
it  -a  moment  in  her  hands  till  she  could  still  their 
trembling,  then  returned  to  the  bedroom. 

The  Empress  Dowager  commanded  her  to  open 
the  little  ebony  box.  It  contained  a  jade  and  coral 
lotus  flower  beautiful  in  form  and  colour;  the 
petals  delicate,  graceful,  languishing  as  those  of 
the  natural  flower.  It  was  a  wonderful  specimen 
of  the  artistic  skill  of  Chinese  workmanship. 

"Do  you  like  it  Hsiao  Kuniang?"  asked  the 
Empress  Dowager  with  her  winning  smile. 

"The  Great  Old  Ancestor  overwhelms  her  un 
worthy  handmaiden  with  her  gracious  munifi- 


270          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

cence,"  said  A-lu-te,  and  falling  on  her  knees, 
kowtowed  repeatedly.  The  emotion  in  her  voice 
might  readily  have  been  caused  by  her  joy  at 
receiving  so  beautiful  a  gift. 

"I  knew  you  would  like  it,  it  will  show  to  ad 
vantage  in  your  dark  hair.  Go,  now,  and  dress ; 
put  more  paint  on  your  lips  and  cheeks;  I  do  not 
want  you  to  look  like  a  widow."  And,  smiling, 
sweet-faced,  as  one  whose  life  is  passed  in  giving 
joy  to  others,  the  Empress  Dowager  waved  her 
little  hand  in  dismissal. 

A-lu-te  left  the  room,  carrying  the  ebony  box 
which  held  the  jade  and  coral  lotus  flower.  Her 
soul  was  sick  with  fear.  As  she  passed  the  Chief 
Eunuch,  she  saw  him  smile.  There  was  something 
horrible  in  that  smile.  When  she  reached  her 
pavilion,  she  was  relieved  to  find  that  Ho- Shu, 
the  eunuch  who  replaced  S'ang  as  her  attendant, 
was  not  there.  She  not  only  disliked,  but  dis 
trusted  him.  She  heard  Chou-Chau  feebly  calling 
and,  throwing  the  ebony  box  hurriedly  on  the 
K'ang,  went  to  the  girl's  room.  Chou-Chau  was 
lying  on  the  floor ;  she  looked  like  a  broken  flower. 
A-lu-te  half  dragged,  half  lifted  her  to  the  K'ang. 

"Wang-ti,"  said  Chou-Chau,  in  a  faint  voice, 
"you  have  been  good  to  me.  I  have  been  in  the 
Palace  two  years,  and  during  all  that  time,  no 
person  has  spoken  a  kind  word  to  me  until  you 
came.  Your  presence  has  cheered  and  comforted 
me.  I  am  going  to  die  and  I  want  to  thank  you. " 

"You  will  not  die,  dear  Chou-Chau;  you  are 


Betrayed  271 

weak  now  and  exhausted,  but  that  will  pass," 
replied  A-lu-te,  striving  to  encourage  her. 

"Oh, "  exclaimed  the  girl  in  a  piteous  voice,  "do 
not  say  so;  the  thought  that  I  will  pass  away 
quietly  with  no  one  near  but  you  is  sweet  to  me, 
sweeter  than  you  can  possibly  know,  for  you  have 
not  been  made  to  suffer  as  I  have  here.  In  this 
dreadful  place  lurked  death  always  for  me.  When 
the  sounds  of  merriment  were  gayest,  when  singing 
and  laughter  were  loudest,  they  could  not  drown 
the  distant  echo  of  death's  stealthy  tread,  coming 
nearer  and  ever  nearer,  and  my  heart  would  grow 
cold  as  I  listened,  I  shuddered  and  was  afraid, 
always  afraid.'* 

"Poor  Chou-Chau, "  said  A-lu-te  pityingly. 

"Now  I  am  afraid  no  more.  Bend  your  head 
lower — so — I  want  to  ask  you  before  I  die — is  it 
true  you  went  to  the  lake  to  fetch  water  for  me 
last  night?" 

"No." 

"I  thought  so,  though  I  could  not  be  sure,  for 
my  sickness  does  at  times  make  me  so  faint,  I  often 
do  not  know  what  takes  place  around  me.  Tell 
me — "  she  raised  herself  up  to  peer  into  A-lu-te's 
face  and  her  voice  sank  to  a  mere  breath,  "were 
you  trying  to  escape  from  the  Palace  and  returned 
because  you  could  not?" 

"No." 

"Yet  I  know  you  hate  it  here,  for  all  that  Lao 
Tsu  Tsung  is  so  good  to  you;  I  have  watched  your 
face  when  we  were  alone  and  I  know." 


272          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

"Yes,  I  hate  it  here, "  said  A-lu-te  with  subdued 
energy,  "and  if  I  could,  I  would  escape  this  very 
hour,  this  very  minute." 

"Listen — put  your  ear  close  to  my  mouth — my 
strength  is  fast  failing  and  I  must  tell  you  some 
thing." 

A-lu-te  bent  her  head  till  her  shell  pink  ear 
touched  the  bloodless  lips  of  the  dying  girl.  "I 
have  hidden  in  the  firehole  of  the  K'ang  a  box — in 
it  is  a  Lama's  gown  and  hat  and  the  bald  headpiece. 
I  stole  them  one  day  from  the  rooms  where  the 
theatrical  wardrobe  is  kept.  I  meant  to  escape 
from  here  disguised  as  a  young  Lama,  but  my 
courage  always  failed.  Now  I  am  dying, — I  shall 
not  need  the  dress;  take  it  and  may  Buddha  help 
you  to  get  safely  away. " 

"Chou-Chau,  dear  Chou-Chau,  don't  die — we 
will  escape  together — we  will  go  this  very  night." 

"Yes,  we  will  go  tonight,  but  not  together,  dear 
White  Jade.  This  little  cicada,  called  Chou- 
Chau,  will  soon  shake  off  her  shell  and  fly  away, 
and  not  even  the  wicked  Li  Lien  Ying  or  Lao  Tsu 
Tsung  can  prevent  the  flight.  But  I  would  you 
were  already  safe  outside  these  dreadful  palace 
walls. " — She  sighed  and  her  thin  transparent 
hand  stroked  feebly  A-lu-te's  glossy  hair. — Sud 
denly  she  raised  herself.  ' '  Listen ! ' '  she  whispered, 
"I  hear  footsteps  coming  this  way.  Oh,  dear 
White  Jade,  hasten,  take  the  box  now  while  we 
are  alone — carry  it  to  your  room. " 

To  quiet  her  A-lu-te  took  the  box  from  its  hiding 


Betrayed  273 

place,  and  hurrying  to  her  own  room,  thrust  it 
inside  the  K'ang. 

The  quick,  sharp  patter  of  swift-stepping  feet 
drew  nearer,  then  stopped  before  the  pavilion. 

A-lu-te  peeped  from  the  window  and  was  aghast 
to  see  the  Empress  Dowager,  assisted  by  the  Chief 
Eunuch,  descend  from  her  chair.  Why  had  she 
come? 

A-lu-te  experienced  a  sudden  tightening  of  the 
heart.  The  outer  door  was  flung  open.  The 
next  minute  the  coarse  ugly  face  of  Li  Lien  Ying 
appeared  holding  apart  the  curtains  of  her  room. 
His  expression  was  suave  and  cruelly  knowing. 
The  loudest  sound  in  the  room  was  A-lu-te 's  heart 
beating  turbulently.  The  Empress  Dowager 
swept  in  like  a  whirlwind.  The  two  women,  one 
of  them  young  and  beautiful;  the  other,  older, 
possessing  an  attraction  greater  than  beauty,  faced 
one  another  an  instant.  Then  A-lu-te  sank  on  the 
floor  making  an  obeisance.  A  glance  at  the  Em 
press  Dowager's  face  was  sufficient  to  show  she  was 
in  a  towering  passion. 

"Miserable  and  worthless  one!"  she  cried  furi 
ously,  "you  have  been  caught  in  your  lies,  tied 
up  in  your  deceits.  I  know  all.  Your  vile, 
unutterably  despicable  deception  has  been  un 
covered.  Your  name  is  a  lie,  your  presence  in 
my  Palace  a  lie,  your  words  lies.  You  are  not 
Wang-ti  the  daughter  of  Lord  Ko  Lin  Ch'in, 
for  she  died  two  years  since — he,  himself,  has 
been  here  and  trembles  with  rage  and  sorrow 

IS 


274          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

that  his  name  should  have  been  put  to  such 
base  uses.  What  have  you  to  say?  Speak!" 

The  storm  had  broken.  A-lu-te  bowed  her  head 
before  it.  She  was  benumbed  with  fear.  She  had 
often  tried  to  prepare  herself  for  this  moment, 
knowing  it  would  come,  sooner  or  later,  but  always 
she  had  cherished  a  hope,  faint  though  it  was,  that 
she  would  make  good  her  escape  before  the  dreaded 
hour  arrived.  Now  she  was  face  to  face  with  it, 
she  seemed  to  be  looking  into  a  black  bottomless 
pit,  on  the  narrow  brim  of  which  she  was  vainly 
endeavouring  to  maintain  her  balance. 

"Do  you  hear?  Speak!'*  commanded  the 
Empress  Dowager.  But  A-lu-te  could  not  speak, 
her  tongue  refused  to  answer  the  summons  of  her 
will.  The  eyes  of  the  Chief  Eunuch  blinked  with 
vindictive  joy. 

"Her  tongue  is  tied,  Old  Buddha,"  he  said; 
"this  wench  who  'smiles  in  public'  has,  it  would 
seem,  some  sense  of  shame  left  in  her,  even  though 
she  has  long  been  but  a  broken  melon." 

A  wench  who  smiles  in  public !  A  broken  melon ! 
The  hot  blood  mounted  to  A-lu-te's  cheeks.  To 
be  called  a  common  courtesan  by  this  eunuch! 

An  insensate  fury  possessed  her.  She  sprang 
to  her  feet;  she  had  of  a  sudden  no  more  fear  of 
these  two  than  she  had  of  Chou-Chau  or  any 
other  miserable  wretch  within  the  Palace.  Pet 
rified  but  a  moment  since  with  terror,  she  now  was 
prepared  to  spend  her  strength  against  stone  walls, 
against  mountains  and  stormy  tides,  to  do  battle 


Betrayed  275 

with  the  whole  world  arraigned  against  her,  as 
indeed  it  was  at  that  moment,  as  far  as  her  situa 
tion  was  concerned.  She  fastened  her  flashing 
eyes  on  the  Empress  Dowager;  her  head  was 
thrown  back;  with  her  forefinger  she  pointed  at 
the  Chief  Eunuch.  "Does  your  Majesty  permit  a 
creature  who  is  fit  only  to  sweep  floors,  who  is 
despised  by  the  lowest  coolie  in  your  realm,  does 
your  Majesty  permit  so  vile  a  thing  to  give  expres 
sion  to  his  low  lies?" 

The  Empress  Dowager  was  dumbfounded;  she 
stared  at  her  as  if  in  a  stupor. 

But  rage  shook  the  Chief  Eunuch,  from  his 
mouth  came  a  sound  more  like  the  roar  of  a  wild 
beast  than  a  human  voice.  He  sprang  forward 
with  raised  hand  to  strike  A-lu-te.  She  turned 
swiftly  towards  him.  "Back,  dog!"  she  cried 
furiously.  "Back  to  your  place.  Make  haste. 
Your  tail  has  wagged  once  too  often. "  Li  glared 
at  her  with  murder  in  his  eyes,  yet  the  raised  hand 
sank  to  his  side.  Her  commanding  eyes,  her 
imperious  voice  seemed  to  be  driving  him  step  by 
step  back  to  his  place  by  the  door,  where  he  stood, 
unable  to  stem  the  torrent  of  abuse  which  burst 
from  her  lips.  She  reviled  him  savagely,  every 
word  bore  a  sting  sharp  as  a  scorpion's,  her  wrath 
was  appalling  in  its  fierceness. 

The  Empress  Dowager  stood  like  a  figure  of 
stone  with  living  eyes  fixed  upon  the  girl  as  if  she 
were  trying  to  engrave  her  features  upon  her  very 
soul  and  compare  them  with  the  features  of  one 


276          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

she  had  always  known.  Something  vague,  an 
intangible  thought  far  back  in  her  mind,  tor 
mented  her.  She  could  not  clutch  it ;  it  refused  to 
answer  her  imperious  will  and  come  boldly  from  its 
lurking  place.  The  lines  about  her  mouth  were 
pathetic;  fear,  hope,  wonder  shone  in  her  eyes. 

Not  until  the  torrential  storm  of  words  had 
ceased  to  flow  from  A-lu-te's  lips,  did  she  speak. 

Her  own  words  came  with  an  effort,  her  voice 
shook  and  was  low. 

" Who  are  you?" 

A  moment  of  silence  ensued.  It  was  if  the  two 
women  had  suddenly  changed  places. 

Tzu  Hsi  was  no  longer  the  all-powerful  sovereign, 
divinely  angry,  but  a  woman,  weak,  pale,  harassed, 
with  some  hidden  emotion;  while  A-lu-te,  quiet 
now,  since  her  burst  of  passion,  stood  like  a  young 
empress,  unterrified,  erect,  and  haughty. 

"  Who  are  you?"  faltered  the  Empress  Dowager 
again. 

"The  adopted  child  of  Duke  Tsing,  to  whom  was 
sent  by  imperial  decree  the  silken  cord  of  self- 
despatch." 

" Tsing?"  Tzu  Hsi  puckered  her  brows  like 
one  trying  to  recall  a  long  forgotten  incident. 

But  the  Chief  Eunuch  started  violently.  In  a 
flash  he  remembered  a  certain  lacquer  box  in  his 
private  apartment  where  he  kept  documents  of 
various  sorts  and  where  he  had  tossed  contemptu 
ously  a  memorial  from  the  condemned  suicide 
Tsing,  addressed  to  the  Empress  Dowager.  The 


Betrayed  277 

bearer  of  the  memorial  had  not  been  supplied  with 
sufficient  taels  to  pay  Li,  and  the  Chief  Eunuch, 
who  was  a  stickler  in  regard  to  claiming  the  exact 
amount  of  his  "squeeze,"  had  not  troubled  himself 
to  present  the  memorial,  or  even,  as  was  his 
custom,  to  read  it. 

For  once  in  his  life  he  regretted  the  greed  which 
influenced  so  many  of  his  acts  and  which,  on  this 
occasion,  had  caused  him  deliberately  to  forget 
a  document  containing,  it  might  be,  important 
disclosures  concerning  the  Manchu  girl. 

He  now  addressed  the  Empress  Dowager  in  his 
usual  unceremonious  manner. 

"It  is  plain,  Old  Buddha,  why  this  woman 
sought  to  thrust  herself  into  the  Palace.  With 
evil  heart  she  thought  to  kill  you,  and  so  be  re 
venged  for  the  death  of  Tsing  whom  you  leniently 
permitted  to  commit  suicide,  although  his  crime 
merited  capital  punishment.  Your  escape,  Old 
Buddha,  has  indeed  been  miraculous.  If  I  had 
not  chanced  upon  Lord  Ko  Lin  Ch'in  this  morning 
and  conducted  him  here  to  repeat  to  you  that 
which  he  already  had  imparted  to  me,  this  wicked 
woman  might  even  today  have  found  occasion  to 
accomplish  her  accursed  crime." 

By  accusing  A-lu-te  of  plotting  against  the  life 
of  the  Empress  Dowager,  Li  wanted  to  accomplish 
three  things, — divert  the  attention  of  Tzu  Hsi 
from  the  girl's  striking  resemblance  to  herself  when 
mastered  by  passion;  inspire  again  in  A-lu-te's 
breast  the  fear  which  had  so  strangely  fled  from 


278          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

it;  and  lastly  to  change  the  trend  of  the  Em 
press  Dowager's  questions  concerning  A-lu-te's 
parentage. 

He  was  successful.  His  words  roused  Tzu  Hsi; 
she  shook  off  the  spell  which  bound  her.  "Is  it 
true,  girl,  you  came  here  to  seek  my  death?"  she 
cried. 

Upon  A-lu-te,  the  eunuch's  accusations  had 
wrought  even  a  greater  change  than  he  had  dared 
hope.  Her  look  of  haughty  defiance  and  anger 
vanished.  She  no  longer  stood  erect  and  un 
afraid,  but,  uttering  a  cry  of  horror,  sank  upon  her 
knees.  "Oh,  no,  no,  no,"  she  sobbed,  "he  lies 
most  hideously,  most  shamefully.  Your  hand 
maiden  could  never  be  guilty  of  such  depths  of 
wickedness.  She  could  no  more  cherish  such  sinful 
thoughts  against  your  Majesty  than  she  could  plot 
against  the  life  of  her  own  mother  were  she  still 
blessed  with  one. " 

The  Empress  Dowager  impulsively  took  a  step 
forward,  while  a  softened  look  crept  into  her  face. 

The  Chief  Eunuch  clenched  his  hands  under  his 
long  sleeves.  This  was  not  what  he  had  expected. 
He  plucked  the  Empress  Dowager's  gown.  "Be 
careful,  Old  Buddha, "  he  warned  her  with  pretence 
of  anxiety.  "Go  not  near  her.  Ask  her  instead 
why  she  forced  herself  into  the  Palace  if  she  came 
not  to  commit  the  foulest  and  blackest  of  crimes. " 

"Aye,"  said  the  Empress  Dowager  gloomily, 
"what  brought  you  here?" 

"Your  handmaiden  will  tell  all,"  cried  A-lu-te 


Betrayed  279 

vehemently,  "and  the  Great  Old  Ancestor  can 
judge  if  what  she  says  bears  not  the  seal  of  truth. 
In  the  house  of  your  servant,  Duke  Tsing,  lived 
his  secretary,  who  had  a  son,  but  little  older  than 
your  handmaiden.  His  name  was  Fen-Sha." 

The  Empress  Dowager  started  and  frowned 
angrily,  while  Li  hid  a  satisfied  smile  at  the  un 
expected  disclosure. 

"From  their  childhood,'*  continued  A-lu-te, 
"they  played  together  and  were  constant  com 
panions.  When  he  was  sent  to  school,  your 
handmaiden  besought  her  father  by  adoption  to 
permit  her  to  study  the  same  lessons  which  were 
given  to  her  playmate,  for  she  did  not  want  him  to 
become  wiser  than  she  and  perhaps  grow  to  scorn 
her,  for  already  she  loved  him  beyond  all  else  in 
the  world."  She  stopped,  sighed  heavily,  and 
began  again  as  if  talking  to  herself:  "Those  were 
days  of  happiness,  dream  days,  bright  as  the  glow 
ing  pomegranate,  sweet  as  the  ripe  persimmon. 
Then  came  a  time  when  my  father  offered  to  send 
Fen-Sha  to  the  Western  land,  America,  to  com 
plete  his  education,  because  of  his  scholarly  abil 
ities,  which  were  great.  My  father  attached  one 
condition  to  his  offer, — that  Fen-Sha  upon  his 
return  should  devote  his  talents  for  the  benefit  of 
his  countrymen.  Fen-Sha  promised  eagerly  and 
prepared  to  take  the  long  journey  across  the  seas. 
But  I  wept  as  I  had  never  wept  before  and  would 
not  be  comforted.  My  grief  touched  Fen-Sha, 
for  he  loved  me  only  a  little  less  than  I  loved  him. 


280          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

He  begged  my  father  to  promise  me  to  him  in 
marriage.  My  father  at  first  refused,  there  were 
reasons  connected  with  my  birth  which  he  de 
clared  made  a  union  between  us  impossible.  But 
Fen-Sha  pleaded;  he  cared  not,  he  said,  whether 
I  were  slave  or  princess,  he  loved  me  and  would  wed 
none  other,  and  I  made  a  vow  that  if  he  continued 
to  withhold  his  consent,  I  would  seek  death  by 
starvation.  Seeing  us  so  determined,  my  father, 
after  long  deliberation,  finally  yielded,  and  we 
became  affianced.  It  was  agreed  that  our  mar 
riage  should  not  take  place  till  a  year  after  Fen- 
Sha  had  completed  his  foreign  education.  The 
years  were  long  during  which  he  was  gone  and  only 
his  letters  came  to  brighten  the  dull  weary  days. 
I  lived  for  those  letters;  they  were  like  food  and 
drink  to  my  hungry  heart.  All  waiting  has  an 
end.  Fen-Sha  came  home.  He  spent  the  year 
my  father  had  stipulated  should  pass  before  we 
married,  in  organizing  clubs  over  the  country, 
north  and  south,  for  the  propagation  of  progressive 
ideas,  social  and  agricultural,  among  the  people.'* 

The  Empress  Dowager  had  listened  in  silence 
to  A-lu-te's  story,  but  now  she  broke  in  angrily: 
"He  was  a  base  traitor,  roaming  over  my  realm, 
disseminating  false  and  turbulent  doctrines,  at 
tempting  to  destroy  the  solidity  of  the  Empire 
and  create  party  factions  and  defame  the  jade 
name  of  his  sacred  sovereign. " 

"His  voice  was  never  raised  against  your  Ma 
jesty,"  declared  A-lu-te  firmly. 


Betrayed  281 

"Talk  not  of  what  this  man  did — you  can  tell 
me  nothing  I  do  not  already  know.  He  was  caught 
and  has  paid  the  penalty  of  his  wickedness  and  died 
the  death  of  a  low-born  criminal." 

A-lu-te  looked  up  at  the  Empress  Dowager  and 
said  slowly,  solemnly,  exultantly,  "Not  so,  he 
lives!" 

"He  lives?"  repeated  the  Empress  Dowager 
angrily.  "Aye  in  hell  where  he  belongs.  Go  on 
with  your  tale,  girl — make  it  short.  " 

"Your  handmaiden  will  be  brief.  When  Fen- 
Sha  was  imprisoned  and  sentenced  to  ignominious 
death,  she  wept  tears  of  blood.  But  tears,  even 
though  they  flow  long  enough  to  flood  the  land, 
cannot  drown  a  sorrow;  then  she  conceived  a 
project.  It  was  a  mad  one,  but  the  ache  to  save 
him  had  brought  her  to  that  state  of  mind  which 
is  ready  for  any  deed,  no  matter  how  strange  or 
how  difficult.  She  sought  her  father  and  told  him 
of  her  plan.  As  she  unfolded  it,  he  gazed  at  her 
strangely  and,  when  she  had  concluded,  exclaimed : 
Buddha  himself  wills  it,  he  has  planned  it  so! 
Go,  my  child,  but  I  enjoin  upon  you  to  use  your 
utmost  endeavours  not  only  to  win  the  love  of  the 
Empress  Dowager,  but  to  love  her  yourself,  even 
though  you  fail  to  obtain  Fen-Sha's  pardon  and  he 
dies,  as  I,  your  father  by  adoption,  must  die. 
Remember,  it  is  not  she  who  is  to  blame,  she  is  a 
great  woman;  her  faults  are  not  her  own,  but 
China's.  Love  her  and  honour  her  always.'  He 
went  to  a  cabinet  and  opening  a  secret  drawer  took 


282          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

from  it  a  paper.  Holding  it  in  his  hands,  as  though 
about  to  give  it  to  your  handmaiden,  he  reflected 
deeply,  then  returned  it  to  its  place  again.  'I 
intended  giving  this  document  into  your  keeping. 
I  have  long  prepared  it.  It  concerns  you.  But 
now  I  think  it  will  serve  you  best  if  I  include  it 
in  the  memorial  I  shall  write  to  the  Empress 
Dowager  the  day  I  die.  Be  not  afraid,  go  in 
peace.  You  have  been  a  dutiful  daughter  to  me; 
your  future  will  be  happy.'  Weeping,  your 
handmaiden  bade  him  good-bye.  How  she  passed 
herself  off  as  the  daughter  of  the  Lord  Ko,  it  is  not 
necessary  to  relate.  She  thought  to  influence 
your  Majesty  to  pardon  Fen-Sha.  But  she  soon 
became  convinced  of  the  futility  of  such  a  hope." 

A-lu-te  paused. 

"So,"  said  the  Empress  Dowager,  "that  was 
in  your  mind  when  you  took  the  monstrously 
audacious  step  of  wantonly  usurping  another's 
name  to  enter  my  Palace.  Such  wickedness  was 
predestined  not  to  succeed." 

A  scarcely  perceptible  smile  flitted  across 
A-lu-te's  face.  She  was  convinced  of  Fen-Sha's 
safety  by  that  mysterious  and  unerring  knowledge 
which  often  comes  to  deeply  loving  hearts.  Fleet 
ing  as  her  smile  had  been,  the  Empress  Dowager 
saw  it.  With  the  swiftness  of  an  electric  shock 
passing  through  her,  she  understood.  "Girl!"  she 
exclaimed,  her  voice  vibrating  with  amazement, 
anger,  and  something  she  could  not  define.  "It 
was  you  who  took  the  seal  ring  from  my  hand  last 


Betrayed  283 

night!  What  use  did  you  make  of  it?  Answer 
truthfully  or  Li  shall  tear  the  tongue  from  your 
head." 

And  A-lu-te  told,  nor  did  she  in  the  telling  omit 
a  single  detail  of  all  that  occurred  that  night.  On 
one  point  only  she  kept  silent ;  she  did  not  divulge 
Follingsbee's  name,  nor  the  fact  that  a  foreigner 
had  aided  her.  With  a  dramatic  touch  which  was 
an  instinct  of  her  nature,  she  told  how  she  had  softly 
removed  the  ring,  having  first  soothed  the  Great 
Old  Ancestor  to  sleep,  and  how,  having  affixed 
the  seal  to  the  order  she  had  previously  prepared 
commanding  the  immediate  release  of  Fen-Sha, 
she  had  attempted  to  slip  the  ring  back  again  where 
it  belonged,  and  failing,  because  her  Majesty  had 
shifted  her  position  while  sleeping,  she  had  instead 
hastily  placed  it  upon  the  second  finger  of  the  left 
hand,  and  then  hurried  out  into  the  night.  She 
told  of  poling  the  imperial  barge  across  the  lake 
and  of  her  swift  run,  skirting  the  Wilderness  Park, 
to  the  green  and  yellow  pagoda,  where  a  Pechili 
coolie,  she  had  previously  bribed,  awaited  her. 
He  took  the  fraudulent  decree  and  rode  that  night 
by  pony  express  to  Tientsin.  She  told  how  the  eu 
nuchs  came  to  bury  their  dead  and  she  was  forced 
to  clamber  into  an  empty  niche  in  the  pagoda  and 
sit  cross-legged,  immovable,  like  a  graven  image 
of  Sakya-muni  while  the  eunuchs  wailed  their 
death-wail  and  prayed,  and  how  in  the  midst  of  the 
burial  service  she  had  slipped  down  unobserved 
and  hastened  back  to  the  imperial  bedroom. 


284          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

The  Empress  Dowager  listened,  absorbed  in  the 
recital,  fascinated  in  spite  of  herself  by  the  courage, 
daring,  and  cleverness  of  this  Manchu  girl,  whose 
love  for  her  affianced  husband,  was  passionate, 
impelling,  overpowering,  a  love  she  too  had  once 
known  and  felt.  She  pressed  her  temples  with 
her  slender  hands,  tortured  by  a  memory  fixed 
deep  in  her  heart.  A-lu-te's  tale  had  struck  an 
answering  chord  within  her.  She  also  would  have 
risked  her  life  rather  than  fail  of  such  a  purpose. 
One  minute  she  was  ready  to  forgive  the  girl,  the 
next,  the  thought  of  the  deception,  the  audacious 
trick  she  had  played  upon  her,  and  the  thwarting 
of  her  imperial  will,  roused  her  to  fury.  But  even 
as  she  turned  to  the  Chief  Eunuch  to  command  the 
immediate  death  of  A-lu-te,  her  mood  quickly 
changed  again.  A  piercing  pang  shot  through  her 
heart,  as  a  vision  of  the  girl,  dead  at  her  feet,  rose 
vividly  before  her;  it  seemed  to  her  that  never 
again  would  she  want  anything  so  much  as  to 
bring  her  back  to  life. 

Emotions,  strange,  conflicting,  took  frenzied 
possession  of  her.  She  longed  for  vengeance,  she 
wanted  to  see  the  girl  beaten,  dragged  by  her  hair 
about  the  room,  made  to  suffer  every  refinement 
of  torture  known  to  the  fertile  brain  of  Li,  and  she 
wanted  to  gather  her  to  her  bosom,  weep  over  her, 
caress  her. 

Suddenly  she  remembered  the  memorial  Tsing 
had  written,  a  memorial  concerning  his  adopted 
daughter.  The  thought  brought  with  it  a  certain 


Betrayed  285 

calm.  The  memorial  might  even  now  have  ar 
rived  in  the  Palace,  waiting  her  perusal.  She 
would  read  it  before  deciding  upon  the  fate  of  the 
girl.  She  turned  to  Li,  who  during  A-lu-te's 
recital  had  stood  open-mouthed,  astounded,  and 
gave  her  orders. 

"Have  eunuchs  guard  the  pavilion  and  follow 
me  to  the  Throne  Room  promptly. " 

Without  another  word  she  left  the  room.  At 
the  door  the  Chief  Eunuch  turned  swiftly  back. 
His  small  heavy-lidded  eyes  had  an  evil  glitter  in 
them;  he  thrust  his  parchment  wrinkled  face  close 
to  A-lu-te.  He  snarled  at  her,  showing  his  yellow 
teeth:  "Tonight  you  will  sleep  well,  your  hands 
tied  behind  you;  your  head  inside  of  them,"  he 
laughed  noiselessly  and  went  out. 

He  placed  two  guards  at  the  front  entrance  of 
the  pavilion,  one  at  each  side  and  one  at  the  rear, 
then  he  hastened  to  the  Throne  Room. 

He  found  the  Empress  Dowager  alone.  Her 
attendants  had  been  dismissed.  She  was  pacing 
the  spacious  hall  with  quick,  feverish  steps. 

"Tsing's  memorial  has  not  arrived,"  she  called 
out  to  him.  "Is  it  possible  he  failed  to  send  it 
after  all?" 

"It  may  arrive  tonight,  Old  Buddha,"  said  Li 
soothingly. 

Tzu  Hsi  paused  in  her  restless  pacing.  "Li," 
she  asked,  clasping  her  hands  together  to  quiet 
her  agitation,  "of  whom  did  this  girl  remind  you 
in  her  rage?" 


286          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

"Do  you  wish  me  to  tell  you,  Old  Buddha?" 

"I  command  you." 

"Well,  then,"  he  answered  coolly,  "she  reminds 
me  of  a  tigress  gone  mad. " 

Tzu  Hsi's  black  keen  eyes  challenged  his. 
"Think  once  more,  look  at  me  and  answer. " 

The  Chief  Eunuch  had  expected  this  question 
and  was  prepared  for  it.  In  his  youth,  a  good 
actor,  he  had  frequently  taken  part  in  plays  pro 
duced  in  the  imperial  theatre  and  delighted  the 
young  concubine  Yi,  now  the  illustrious  Empress 
Dowager,  by  his  skill  and  talent.  He  was  still 
able  to  assume  a  part  with  tolerable  success  when 
the  occasion  offered,  or  necessity  required.  His 
own  agitation  was  great,  yet  to  all  outward  ap 
pearance,  he  was  calm,  if  not  indifferent.  He 
shrugged  his  shoulders.  He  must  not  permit  her 
to  suspect  that  he,  too,  had  seen  that  startling 
resemblance,  had  recognized  in  the  girl  calling 
herself  Wang-ti,  not  only  the  character  and  temper 
of  Tzu  Hsi,  but,  since  his  eyes  were  opened,  the 
handsome  features  of  the  dead  and  gone  An  Te  hai, 
the  false  eunuch. 

"I  do  not  know;  thanks  be  to  Buddha,  I  never 
saw  the  like  of  her. " 

"Certainly  you  are  blind!"  she  cried  angrily. 
Then  her  voice  trembled,  tears  were  in  her  eyes. 
"Li,  I  have  been  thinking  of  the  past  again.  My 
deepest  sorrow,  my  greatest  joys  lie  there.  The 
sweet  of  the  hibiscus,  the  bitter  of  the  artemisia, 
I  have  sucked  them  both.  My  words  are  impo- 


Betrayed  287 

tent  to  express  the  thoughts  that  crowd  in  on  me; 
my  head  aches  and  my  heart  is  sore.  How  shall 
I  get  the  plant  of  forgetf illness?  In  vain  I  have 
sought  it,  the  thorn  ferns  of  memory  only  I  find." 
She  sank  on  a  chair  and  wept  softly. 

Li  dropped  upon  his  knees  beside  her  and  gently 
stroked  her  gown.  "They  shall  be  thorn  ferns  no 
more, "  he  said  soothingly;  "  see,  I  will  change  them 
like  the  magician  in  the  theatre,  into  the  fragrant 
lotus  flowers  of  memory.  Do  you  recall  that  day 
when  you  and  he  went  sailing  on  the  lake  and  he 
sat  beside  you  on  the  Throne?  He  sang  and 
played  upon  the  lute  and  made  songs  about  your 
loveliness,  and  indeed  your  beauty  was  like  the 
sky  at  dawn.  He  swore  your  eyebrows  were  like 
the  chrysalis  of  a  moth,  and  the  arch  of  your  dainty 
foot  was  the  phoenix's  crest.  Do  you  remember?  " 

"Till  my  hair  is  white  I  cannot  forget.  And 
later,  under  the  stars,  he  called  me  'night's  splen 
dour.'  Our  love  was  stable  as  the  mountains, 
fathomless  as  the  sea.  Yet  so  soon  he  died  and 
such  a  death!  His  glorious  head  cut  off  like  any 
common  thief !  When  I  think  of  it  cold  clouds  of 
horror  encompass  me. " 

"Seek  consolation  in  the  thought,  Old  Buddha, 
that  your  spiteful  colleague,  the  Eastern  Empress, x 
forfeited  her  own  life,  when  she  wrote  the  decree 
commanding  his  decapitation." 

"Aye,  I  poisoned  her ;  the  death  was  too  good  for 
her.  Do  you  remember,  Li,  when  my  months  were 

'  Tzu  An. 


288         The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

fulfilled  and  I  was  delivered  of  a  daughter — how 
straight  her  little  limbs,  how  rosy! — and  I  again 
found  joy.  His  child  and  mine!  What  rainbow 
dreams  I  dreamed  of  her  future ! 

"I  dared  not  keep  her  with  me,  lest  rumours  of 
her  birth  which  had  gone  abroad  became  verified ; 
but  I  could  see  her  often  and  longed  for  the  time 
when  she  should  be  ten  years  old  and  I  could  have 
her  brought  to  the  Palace  to  remain  with  me  always. 
She  died  before  one  year  had  crowned  her  little 
head,  died,  they  said,  of  smallpox  and  I  could  not 
even  look  upon  her  lying  on  her  tiny  cock-crow 
pillow.  Indeed  my  sorrows  have  been  great  and 
many;  my  heart  is  palsied  by  afflictions.  Before 
the  establishment  of  autumn,  the  frost  falls 
destroyed  my  flower -scented  happiness."  Her 
weeping  became  more  violent.  The  Chief  Eunuch, 
whose  affection  for  his  royal  mistress  was  the  only 
good  in  a  character  thoroughly  evil,  sought  in 
vain  to  comfort  her. 

" Li, "  she  said  abruptly,  "had  my  little  lustrous 
one  lived,  she  would  have  resembled  the  girl  in 
yonder  pavilion.  Incessantly  this  thought  re 
turns  to  me,  what  if — "  she  paused  and  looked 
pleadingly  at  the  eunuch,  filled  with  a  hope  she  did 
not  dare  express.  Li  read  her  thought,  but  that 
which  was  her  hope,  was  his  menace,  and  his 
lips  remained  sealed.  He  hated  A-lu-te  with  a 
hatred  even  greater  than  he  gave  to  Kuang  Hsu 
and  he  feared  her  more.  For  the  young  Emperor 
he  feared  not  at  all.  That  puppet  he  told  himself 


Betrayed  289 

would  never  rule  while  Tzu  Hsi  lived,  nor  after 
wards  either,  for  he  would  die  when  she  died, 
perhaps  before.  But  with  the  other,  it  was  differ 
ent;  already  her  influence  over  the  Old  Buddha 
had  assumed  alarming  proportions  threatening  to 
rival,  then  destroy,  his  own.  "  Impossible,"  he 
said,  "do  not  let  your  heart  cherish  a  hope  so 
utterly  vain.  Remember  Prince  Kung  saw  the 
little  one  in  her  coffin." 

' '  Aye,  but  the  face  so  scarred  and  swollen  with  the 
fatal  sickness,  he  might  easily  have  been  mistaken 
and  seen  some  child  not  mine.  Moreover  I  have 
never  wholly  trusted  Prince  Kung,  and  not  then 
any  more  than  now,  so  I  sent  you  to  see  the 
child." 

"  Yes,  I  saw  her,  it  was  she  without  the  shadow 
of  a  doubt.  Think  no  more  of  it,  Old  Buddha," 
pleaded  Li. 

"I  will!"  she  said  hotly.  "You  do  not  want  a 
doubt  of  her  death  to  come  to  me.  And  so  well 
I  know  your  vindictive  nature,  you  are  filled  with 
fear  and  anger  this  minute  because  my  heart 
yearns  strangely  for  Hsiao  Kuniang.  She  treated 
you  with  bitter  scorn,  with  contempt — she  called 
you  coarse  and  ugly,  a  dog,  and  the  sexless 
thing  you  are.  No  living  soul  but  I  has  dared 
speak  to  you  in  like  manner." 

"Nor  ever  will,"  he  muttered  between  his  teeth; 
"the  shameless  one,  she  shall  suffer  for  those 
words." 

"Bridle  your  tongue!"  said  Tzu  Hsi  sharply. 


290          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

"Not  a  hair  of  her  head  is  to  be  touched  till  I 
command,  do  you  clearly  understand?" 

"Yes." 

"I  shall  decide  upon  her  fate  when  Tsing's 
memorial  comes.  Go,  see  if  couriers  have  arrived 
at  the  outer  gate.  Make  haste. " 

It  was  seldom  Tzii  Hsi  spoke  so  curtly  to  her 
favourite  servant  and  intimate  confidant.  Li 
rose ;  the  flush  on  his  face  was  succeeded  by  a  livid 
pallor ;  he  kept  his  eyes  lowered  that  the  Empress 
Dowager  might  not  see  the  anger  flashing  bale- 
fully  from  them. 

When  he  left  her  presence  he  did  not  seek  the 
outer  gate  but  hastened  instead  to  his  own  pavilion. 
Entering  his  private  room,  where  he  received  and 
examined  all  communications  addressed  to  the 
Empress  Dowager  before  they  were  presented  to 
her,  he  first  satisfied  himself  that  he  was  alone, 
then  he  locked  the  door  and  going  to  the  red 
lacquer  box  took  from  it  Tsing's  memorial.  It 
had  been  in  his  possession  over  ten  days.  He 
spread  the  document  on  the  table  and  prepared 
to  read  it.  He  felt  anxious  and  excited.  If  this 
girl  proved  to  be,  as  he  himself  now  entertained 
small  doubt  that  she  was,  the  daughter  of  Tzu  Hsi, 
his  power  was  gone.  The  girl's  influence  would  be 
greater  than  his;  she  would  exert  it  to  crush  him, 
and  perhaps  even  to  chase  him  from  the  Palace. 
He  ground  his  teeth  at  the  thought.  He  leaned 
over  the  finely  drawn  characters  of  the  memorial 
and  read : 


Betrayed  291 

TSING'S  MEMORIAL 

I,  your  Majesty's  unworthy  servant  Tsing-Li-Hoh, 
soon  to  breathe  my  last  by  divine  command,  present 
upon  my  knee  this  my  last  memorial.  I  being  dis 
graced  am  debarred  from  addressing  the  Throne 
through  the  proper  channels.  But  the  subject  upon 
which  your  worthless  servant  ventures  to  memorialize 
is  grave  and  pertains  to  affairs  private  and  personal 
of  your  Majesty.  Therefore  I  have  urged  the  magis 
trate  of  my  native  town  to  forward  this  document 
and,  without  disclosing  to  him  the  text,  I  gave  him  to 
understand  that  it  was  of  paramount  importance  to 
your  Majesty.  He  realized  that  a  request  from  one 
about  to  leave  the  world  who  in  life  had  never  wit 
tingly  uttered  an  untruth  or  violated  the  main  prin 
ciples  of  duty  and  honour  should  not  be  refused.  I 
reverently  entreat  your  Majesty  to  cast  her  gracious 
eye  upon  this  my  last  utterance.  Then  I  die  content. 

I  pray  your  Majesty  to  recall  a  certain  year  after 
his  Majesty  Hsien-Feng  mounted  the  dragon  and 
ascended  on  high  and  in  the  deep  seclusion  of  your 
Palace  you  held  the  reins  of  government  in  your  hands. 
My  official  duties  brought  me  to  Peking.  One  night 
a  man  dressed  as  a  palace  eunuch  came  to  summon  me 
to  the  Yellow  City.  I  went,  following  his  cart  in  my 
chair.  We  descended  at  a  small  gate  near  the  East 
Gate  Glorious.  Silently  I  was  led  to  a  room  in  a  pa 
vilion  near  the  Palace  of  Peaceful  Longevity  where 
your  Majesty  resided.  I  waited  for  two  hours  and 
being  but  recently  from  a  bed  of  sickness  my  fatigue 
overcame  me  and  I  slept. 

I  was  aroused  by  the  entrance  of  the  eunuch  and  an 
old  woman,  whom  I  later  learned  was  your  Majesty's 


292          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

most  trusted  amah.  She  carried  in  her  arms  a  care 
fully  enveloped  sleeping  infant.  The  eunuch  told  me 
to  follow  them.  We  returned  to  the  small  gate  where 
my  chair  and  the  cart  were  waiting.  The  woman  and 
the  eunuch  entered  the  cart.  We  repaired  again  to 
my  house.  Not  until  we  were  within  my  private 
apartments  did  the  eunuch  speak.  Then  he  explained 
the  mystery  of  these  proceedings.  He  said  your 
Majesty  had  deigned  to  confer  upon  me  an  inestimable 
proof  of  her  trust  and  favour,  by  giving  me  charge  of 
an  infant  of  noble  birth.  The  penalty  of  death,  con 
tinued  the  eunuch,  would  speedily  follow  any  dis 
closures  on  my  part  of  the  imperial  favour. 

I  received  the  infant — a  girl  child  of  perfect  form 
and  rosy  health — into  my  household.  I  gave  it  out 
that  she  was  a  foundling  picked  up  on  the  river  bank 
where  she  had  been  left  to  perish. 

A  week  later,  a  certain  Prince,  closely  connected 
with  your  Majesty,  sent  for  me.  He  informed  me 
that  smallpox  was  extremely  prevalent  among  the 
Peking  infants  and  that  vast  numbers  were  dead  and 
dying  of  the  scourge  and  that  if  the  girl  foundling, 
recently  brought  to  my  house,  succumbed  to  the  dis 
ease,  I  need  entertain  no  fear  of  bringing  down  upon 
myself  or  upon  members  of  my  family  the  imperial 
wrath.  In  fact,  he  gave  me  clearly  to  understand 
that  the  death  of  the  infant  would  be  considered  not 
a  calamity,  but  a  blessing.  Still  I  pretended  not  to 
understand  his  meaning,  whereupon  he  told  me  that 
rumours  of  the  birth  of  a  child  in  the  Imperial  Palace 
had  spread  abroad;  that  enemies  of  your  Majesty 
were  making  efforts  to  prove  the  truth  of  these  ru 
mours,  and  that  if  they  succeeded  in  audaciously 
substantiating  the  reports,  it  would  be  a  menace  to  the 


Betrayed  293 

Throne.  As  royal  patriotic  servants,  he  said,  it 
became  our  duty  to  protect  your  Majesty  from  such  a 
menace. 

I  asked  him  if  your  Majesty  had  herself  expressed 
a  wish  or  command  that  the  infant  should  perish. 
The  Prince  replied  in  the  negative,  but  added  that  the 
peace  and  security  of  the  Throne  depended  absolutely 
upon  the  people's  belief  in  the  virtue  of  the  ruler,  and 
the  infant's  continued  existence  was  therefore  exposing 
the  Throne  to  a  danger,  both  unnecessary  and  avoid 
able.  Calumny,  he  said,  must  be  hushed. 

I  had  become  attached  to  the  girl-child;  she  was 
a  dainty  and  dimpling  little  creature  with  eyes  that 
laughed  when  I  approached  her.  I  determined 
she  should  not  die.  I  lost  no  time  in  procuring  an 
infant,  recently  dead  of  the  smallpox,  and  sent  word 
to  the  Prince  that  the  girl-foundling  in  my  house 
had  succumbed  to  the  scourge.  He  came  in  haste 
to  see  the  child,  who  was  too  disfigured  by  the  disease 
to  be  recognizable.  A  palace  eunuch,  sent  by  your 
Majesty,  came  also  to  look  upon  her  and  verify  the 
truth  of  my  report.  Both  were  satisfied.  Sub 
sequently  I  was  recalled  to  my  former  position  in 
Shanghai.  I  departed  taking  the  girl-child  with  me. 
She  grew  into  a  lovely  maiden,  dutiful  to  me,  her 
adopted  father,  a  daughter  to  enjoy  and  to  be  proud 
of  because  of  her  intelligence,  her  good  sense  and  noble 
character. 

Before  I  fell  under  the  ban  of  your  Majesty's  august 
displeasure,  she  was  betrothed  to  young  Fen-Sha, 
the  son  of  my  late  secretary.  When  the  silken  cord 
of  self-despatch  was  sent  to  me  and  my  family  ban 
ished,  and  Fen-Sha  was  condemned  by  imperial  decree 
to  the  lingering  death,  A-lu-te — for  so  I  named  the 


294         The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

girl — sought  my  consent  to  journey  to  Peking,  intro 
duce  herself  into  your  august  presence,  and  plead  for 
the  life  of  her  betrothed. 

The  audacity  of  the  plan  which  she  imparted  to  me 
was  transcendent,  nevertheless  I  did  not  withhold 
from  her  my  permission  to  attempt  its  execution,  for 
it  appeared  to  me  that  Buddha  himself  had  inspired 
her  with  this  idea. 

I  have  not  to  reproach  myself  with  violating  the 
trust  imposed  upon  me  by  disclosing  to  her  the  secret 
of  her  birth.  She  does  not  know  she  is  your  Majesty's 
daughter.  The  courage  which  has  helped  to  make  the 
Dowager  Empress's  fame  great  in  the  land  is  hers,  as 
is  the  charm  of  her  personality.  Your  Majesty  will 
not  fail  to  recognize  her.  That  she  may  be  dealt  with 
leniently  by  your  Majesty  and  receive  the  beneficent 
protection,  is  my  last  prayer,  my  last  hope,  my  last 
words. 

Prostrate  before  the  Throne  I  present  this  my 
memorial. 

Li  sat  motionless,  his  little  eyes  glued  upon 
Tsing's  memorial.  Finally  he  rose,  lighted  a 
lantern,  and  deliberately  held  the  paper  in  the 
flames  until  it  was  reduced  to  ashes.  These  he 
carefully  gathered,  and  striding  to  a  large  porcelain 
pot  in  which  an  oleander  grew,  he  dug  holes  in  the 
earth  around  the  roots  of  the  plant  and  buried  the 
ashes.  This  done,  he  unlocked  the  door,  left  his 
pavilion,  and  sought  the  outer  gates.  He  inquired 
of  the  guards  if  couriers  had  arrived;  receiving  a 
negative  reply,  he  returned  to  the  imperial  pavilion 
to  report  the  fact. 


Betrayed  295 

"No  courier  has  come,  Old  Buddha.  I  have 
sent  two  guards  to  ride  out  on  the  Peking  road 
and  watch  for  him.  Have  patience.  If  Tsing 
really  did  memorialize  the  Throne,  his  message 
will  arrive  today." 


CHAPTER  XIX 

CONCERNING  PALACE  EUNUCHS  AND  A  PALACE 
PRISONER 

WHEN  A-lu-te  became  convinced  that  the  Em 
press  Dowager  and  the  Chief  Eunuch  had  left  the 
pavilion,  she  flew  to  her  K'ang  and  drew  out  with 
feverish  haste  the  Lama  costume  which  Chou- 
Chau  had  stolen  from  the  theatrical  wardrobe. 

She  adjusted  the  bald  wig  over  her  glossy  hair, 
which  she  had  previously  braided  and  wound 
about  her  head.  She  slipped  on  the  yellow  gown 
and  pulled  the  huge  yellow  hat  well  down  over  her 
eyes.  Then  she  hurried  to  Chou-Chau's  chamber. 
She  wanted  to  embrace  her  friend  once  more  and 
say  farewell.  She  found  her  lying  as  she  had  left 
her  on  the  K'ang.  A  terrible  change  had  taken 
place  in  her  appearance.  Chou-Chau's  eyes 
seemed  to  be  gazing  straight  at  her,  but  with  a 
fixed  and  glassy  stare.  Her  jaw  had  dropped 
open;  where  the  paint  was  rubbed  from  her  face 
the  skin  had  a  yellow  pallor  not  seen  in  life. 

Chou-Chau  was  dead.  The  wretched  little 
cicada  had  cast  off  her  shell  and  flown  forth  to 
freedom,  flown  from  the  Summer  Palace,  the  prison 

296 


Palace  Eunuchs  and  Prisoners      297 

which  held  her  for  two  long  dreadful  years.  With 
a  sob  A-lu-te  turned  to  leave  the  room.  The  out 
side  door  opened.  Someone  entered  the  pavilion. 
A-lu-te  held  her  breath.  Was  it  the  Chief  Eunuch 
who  had  come  back?  She  snatched  off  her  Lama's 
disguise  and  thrust  it  back  in  the  firehole  of  the 
K'ang.  Then  she  went  into  the  central  hall.  A 
eunuch  was  peering  through  the  curtains  of  her 
room;  he  was  Ho-Shu,  the  Chief  Eunuch's  creature. 

A-lu-te  called  sharply  to  him.  He  turned  with  a 
start;  the  puzzled  expression  on  his  face  changed 
to  a  satisfied  sneer  on  seeing  her. 

"Go,"  she  said,  "go  and " 

"Since  when  is  it  permitted  prisoners  to  give 
commands?"  he  interrupted  insolently. 

"  Go,"  repeated  A-lu-te,  ignoring  both  his  speech 
and  manner,  "and  announce  that  the  Lady  Chou- 
Chau  has  passed  into  the  spirit  world. " 

To  assure  himself  of  the  truth  of  this  statement, 
the  eunuch  went  into  Chou-Chau's  room.  He 
soon  reappeared  and  leisurely  left  the  pavilion 
to  seek  the  Chief  Eunuch  and  report  the  death. 
The  Lady  Chou-Chau  had  been  of  no  importance 
in  her  lifetime;  her  demise  would  scarcely  excite 
more  interest  than  that  of  an  insignificant  servant. 
He  need  not  hurry  with  the  news,  which  he  indiffer 
ently  flung  out  to  the  guards,  stationed  at  the 
pavilion  door,  as  he  sauntered  off.  They  in 
turn  shouted  it  to  the  eunuchs  guarding  the  sides 
and  rear  of  the  pavilion,  at  the  same  time  adding 
that  it  would  not  be  long  before  someone  else 


298          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

took  up  her  abode  in  the  spirit  world.  They  all 
laughed.  One  fellow  with  loose,  flabby  lips  said 
he  trusted  the  dark  journey  of  that  other  one  would 
not  be  long  delayed,  for  he  had  promised  the  little 
eunuchs  to  show  them  how  to  sew  up  the  eyelids 
of  their  birds  and  how  to  place  them  in  open  spaces 
where  circling  hawks  could  see  them  and  be  lured 
to  swoop  down  upon  them.  The  sport  was  good, 
also  the  hawks  were  easily  captured  by  the  trick. 
But  if  he  were  compelled  to  stand  all  day  guarding 
the  pavilion  because  it  had  been  turned  into  an 
"empty  chamber"  (a  prison  in  the  Palace)  he 
would  have  to  forgo  the  fun,  and  the  little  eunuchs 
would  find  someone  else  to  help  them  in  their 
sport. 

"If  the  Old  Buddha  catches  them  at  it,  she  will 
fly  into  a  rage  and  have  them  well  punished, "  said 
another.  "Do  you  remember  when  Ying  caught 
those  crows  and  we  tied  lighted  firecrackers  to 
their  legs  and  then  set  the  crows  free?  How  high 
the  creatures  flew  to  be  sure  before  the  explosion 
came  and  how  small  the  feathered  pieces  were  that 
dropped  down  upon  us!  Never  have  I  laughed 
so  much!  Unfortunately  the  Old  Buddha  hap 
pened  upon  us  just  then, — her  fury  was  terrific." 

"So  were  the  bamboo  beatings  you  received," 
laughed  a  third  eunuch.  They  had  drawn  together 
as  they  talked;  the  eunuchs  at  the  sides  and  rear 
of  the  pavilion  were  bunched  together  at  one 
corner  in  order  to  converse  with  greater  facility 
with  those  guarding  the  front  entrance. 


Palace  Eunuchs  and  Prisoners      299 

"Have  you  heard  the  news  about  S'ang?"  asked 
one,  whose  stature  was  small,  though  his  rotundity 
was  enormous. 

"What  of  the  dolt?  Has  someone  peeled  the 
skin  of  his  face  again?"  (taken  all  his  money). 

' '  No,  he  is  sent  to  the  Winter  Palace  to  be  reader 
to  the  Emperor." 

"Reader!  Bah!  he  has  a  voice  like  a  croaking 
raven.  That  little  beast  always  has  luck." 

"Well,  I,  for  one,  am  glad  we're  rid  of  him," 
remarked  the  third  eunuch;  "he  and  I  are  like 
this  with  one  another,"  and  the  speaker  put  the 
knuckles  of  his  forefingers  together. 

"It's  my  belief  that  S'ang  is  more  than  half 
foreign  devil,"  said  the  short  rotund  eunuch.  "Just 
before  he  left  we  were  on  night  duty  at  the  inner 
gate.  I  was  speaking  to  him  of  that  barbarian 
doctor  priest  who  was  killed  in  Wuchang  by  the 
populace  because  he  was  caught  puncturing  the 
eyes  of  children  with  a  sharp  needle  concealed  in 
cotton  with  which  he  pretended  to  heal  their  sore 
eyelids.  He  and  other  devil  doctors,  as  you  all 
know,  use  the  humours  they  thus  vilely  obtain, 
for  medicine.  S'ang  tried  to  make  me  think  it  was 
a  silly  lie,  so  I  drew  on  the  ground  with  a  piece  of 
chalk  a  cross  such  as  foreign  devils  hold  sacred 
and  told  him  I  would  believe  it  a  lie  if  he  would 
spit  on  the  cross.  What  think  you  he  did?" 

"A  wager  he  spat!  We're  all  good  Buddhists 
here,  even  S'ang, "  cried  one.  "Two  hundred  cash 
he  spat!" 


3OO          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

"Taken!"  cried  another,  "nay  more,  three  to 
one,  he  didn't.  If  his  mouth  is  like  his  talk,  it's  too 
dry  to  make  spittle. " 

"Ho — excellent!"  laughed  the  first  speaker. 

"What  say  you,  Pambo?" 

The  eunuch  appealed  to  was  of  gigantic  propor 
tions,  and,  while  his  great  muscles  were  covered 
with  more  flesh  than  becomes  an  athlete,  their 
strength  still  seemed  prodigious. 

The  giant  growled  surlily,  "My  purse  is  empty 
as  if  it  had  been  washed.  How  then  should  I 
bet?" 

The  small  rotund  eunuch  winked  slyly  at  the 
others  and  said,  "Wait  till  you  hear  the  rest  of 
the  story." 

They  gathered  around  him  with  no  pretence  of 
keeping  to  their  posts.  "Go  on — tell  us,"  they 
cried  eagerly. 

"Well,  S'ang  stooped  and  drew  a  large  ring,  then 
he  carefully  rubbed  out  all  trace  of  the  cross. 
'  Now, '  he  said,  '  I  have  another  plan,  better  than 
yours.  I'll  get  Pambo — he's  on  guard  in  the  next 
court — and  I  will  agree  to  throw  him  in  a  wrestling 
match,  inside  this  ring — if  I  fail  I'll  say  that  your 
devil  doctor  tale  is  true."1 

"How!  That  little  cricket  tried  to  throw 
Pambo!"  they  exclaimed  and  laughed  uproari 
ously  at  the  mere  thought.  But  Pambo  turned 
his  back  sulkily  on  his  admiring  companions  and 
strolled  back  to  his  post. 

"You  know  well,"  continued  the  first  speaker, 


Palace  Eunuchs  and  Prisoners      301 

"that  no  one  has  ever  yet  been  able  to  stand  up 
against  Pambo  and  that  S'ang  should  attempt  it 
was  ludicrous.  Well,  we  called  Pambo.  When  he 
heard  that  S'ang  wished  to  wrestle  with  him,  he 
came,  none  too  pleased  that  such  a  cricket  should 
dare  challenge  him.  'If  you  are  in  haste  to  get 
your  legs  broken  or  your  neck  cracked, '  growled 
Pambo,  stretching  himself, '  come  on  S '  '  Wait  a  mo 
ment  till  I  drink, '  said  S'ang.  When  he  returned 
he  stepped  boldly  into  the  ring.  Pambo  thrust  out 
his  monstrous  arms  to  seize  him,  when,  poof!  S'ang, 
who  had  his  pig  mouth  full  of  water,  squirted  it 
into  Pambo's  face,  and,  before  he  could  recover 
from  his  surprise,  S'ang  rushed  at  him,  caught  him 
around  the  legs,"  and  down  he  went. " 

The  four  eunuchs  shouted  with  laughter. 

A-lu-te  had  listened  to  their  talk  with  a  feeling 
of  repulsion,  which  later  changed  to  indifference. 

Afterwards  her  attention  was  attracted,  not  to 
the  subject  matter  of  their  conversation,  but  to  the 
fact  that  their  voices  appeared  to  reach  her  from 
one  direction  only.  She  ran  to  the  window  which 
gave  on  the  rear  of  the  pavilion  and  looked  out.  A 
thrill  came  over  her:  the  guard  who  had  stood 
beneath  this  window  was  gone!  Her  release  was 
possible  now!  Should  she  hasten  back  to  the 
death  chamber  for  the  Lama's  gown  and  hat? 
She  hesitated,  but  for  an  instant  only.  She  was 
fearful  lest  the  eunuch  return  to  his  deserted  post 
before  she  had  time  to  don  the  garments  and  so 
lose  what  might  be  her  only  chance  of  escape. 


3O2          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

Cautiously  she  pushed  open  the  long,  wide  window; 
the  distance  to  the  ground  was  only  a  few  feet. 
A-lu-te  stepped  on  the  sill.  She  lingered  just  long 
enough  to  assure  herself  that  no  one  was  in  sight. 
Then  she  jumped.  Her  feet  had  scarcely  touched 
the  ground  when  the  tall  powerful  form  of  Pambo 
appeared  around  the  corner  of  the  pavilion.  He 
was  strolling  leisurely  back  to  his  post.  He 
stopped,  stared  at  A-lu-te,  and,  in  three  long  strides, 
silently  seized  her.  With  no  pretence  of  gentle 
ness,  he  lifted  her  in  his  huge  arms,  swung  her 
once,  and  deliberately  shot  her  through  the  open 
window  back  into  her  room.  He  might  have  been 
throwing  a  cat  up  in  the  air  for  all  the  effort  he 
expended  or  noise  made. 

Stunned  by  the  fall,  A-lu-te  lay  on  the  floor 
motionless.  After  a  time  she  regained  conscious 
ness.  She  felt  faint  and  giddy.  With  difficulty 
she  dragged  herself  to  Chou-Chau's  room.  She 
understood  vaguely  that  her  only  hope  of  escape 
now  lay  in  the  Lama's  dress.  She  drew  it  on  me 
chanically.  She  intended  to  hide  in  the  K'ang 
till  the  priests  came  to  say  their  prayers  over  the 
body  of  Chou-Chau,  and,  when  they  left  the  pavil 
ion,  step  out  with  them.  There  was  a  bare  chance 
that  they  would  not  speak  to  or  notice  her,  that 
they  would  take  her  to  be  one  of  themselves. 

Moved  by  a  sudden  impulse  to  make  obeisance 
to  the  spirit  of  the  departed,  she  dropped  on  her 
knees.  She  had  learnt  to  love  as  well  as  pity  poor, 
little,  unhappy  Chou-Chau.  As  she  knelt  she 


Palace  Eunuchs  and  Prisoners      303 

suddenly  stiffened  with  terror.  She  had  not  heard 
the  entrance  door  open,  yet  she  was  aware  of  the 
sound  of  soft  footsteps  in  the  room  and  close  be 
hind  her.  She  could  not  move  even  had  she  so 
desired;  now  the  soft  steps  stopped;  someone  was 
close  to  her,  so  close  their  garments  touched.  Who 
was  it  ?  Her  heart  cried  out  in  fear,  but  the  cry 
did  not  pass  her  lips.  Slowly,  as  if  compelled  by 
some  fearful  magnetism,  she  raised  her  eyes. 
The  Chief  Eunuch  stood  beside  her.  His  fat  lips 
were  drawn  away  from  his  teeth  in  a  smile.  At 
sight  of  him  she  was  seized  by  a  despair  that 
struck  to  the  innermost  depths  of  her  soul.  Her 
ice-cold  hands  trembled  under  her  long  sleeves. 
The  silence  around  them  was  sepulchral.  Even 
the  eunuchs'  voices  outside  had  ceased.  Why 
did  he  not  seize  her  ?  Why  did  he  remain  standing 
there  towering  over  her  kneeling  form  like  a  sinister 
colossus  ?  Was  he  gloating  over  her  helpless  terror  ? 
What  diabolical  torture  had  he  in  store  for  her? 
She  had  heard  tales  from  Chou-Chau  of  Li's 
dark  deeds  of  cruelty  perpetrated  in  secret  cham 
bers  of  the  Palace,  tales  too  horrible  to  dwell  upon. 
The  impulse  to  shriek  aloud  became  stronger,  but 
her  stiffened  lips  refused  to  open.  Her  brain 
reeled ;  she  felt  a  sense  of  f aintness  stealing  over  her. 
By  a  violent  effort  she  mastered  herself.  Suspense 
had  become  intolerable,  she  determined  to  confront 
him  and  demand  to  know  what  doom  awaited  her. 
She  rose  from  her  knees.  The  Chief  Eunuch  gave 
no  sign  of  being  conscious  of  her  movement.  He 


304         The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

was  bending  over  the  body  of  Chou-Chau,  ap 
parently  engrossed  in  studying  the  ghastly  face. 

"She  is  even  uglier  in  death  than  she  was  when 
alive, "  he  said  brutally,  without  turning  his  head, 
"Well,  say  your  prayers  over  her — much  good  may 
they  do  her — I  go  to  order  the  coffin. " 

He  smiled  slyly  and  left  the  room.  A-lu-te  felt, 
rather  than  saw,  the  curtain  drop  behind  him. 
She  was  alone.  She  put  her  hand  to  her  forehead, 
confused,  amazed,  breathless.  Was  it  possible 
he  had  not  recognized  her?  Fear — and  hope — 
the  most  tenacious  of  human  sentiments — alter 
nately  took  possession  of  her.  Would  he  go  to 
her  room,  discover  her  absence,  and  becoming  sus 
picious  of  the  silent  priest,  return  to  the  death 
chamber?  She  listened  with  strained  attention. 
The  soft  footsteps  did  not  linger,  they  continued 
down  the  central  hall.  She  heard  the  outer  door 
open  and  Li's  voice  speaking  to  the  eunuchs.  The 
words  "priest's  prayers"  reached  her  distinctly. 
Again  despair  seized  her;  surely  the  guard  would 
tell  him  that  no  priest  had  entered  the  pavilion ! 
She  waited  in  an  agony  of  suspense,  but  Li  did 
not  return.  She  crept  back  to  her  own  room  and 
peered  through  the  curtains  of  the  windows.  In 
the  distance  she  saw  Li  hurrying  off.  Scarcely 
realizing  what  she  did,  she  went  into  the  hall, 
threw  open  the  front  door,  and  deliberately,  with 
out  show  of  haste,  walked  out  of  the  pavilion. 
Here  she  saw  that  Li  had  changed  the  guards; 
instead  of  two  eunuchs  at  the  entrance,  Ho-Shu 


Palace  Eunuchs  and  Prisoners      305 

was  pacing  back  and  forth.  He  looked  up  as  she 
came  out,  but  made  no  attempt  to  stop  or  speak 
to  her.  A-lu-te  felt  a  strange  uneasiness,  an 
apprehension  in  this  very  fact.  She  wanted  to 
run,  but  dared  not.  She  passed  from  the  court; 
the  gate  was  not  locked.  No  one  was  in  sight. 
She  hurried  on,  traversing  court  after  court,  pass 
ing  eunuchs  idly  loitering,  or  intent  upon  some 
errand;  gardeners  at  work;  tired-eyed  slave-girls, 
hastening  to  their  mistresses.  No  one  noticed 
the  youthful  Lama  priest  walking  with  bent  head, 
as  if  engrossed  in  meditation. 

She  was  approaching  the  outer  and  last  court  of 
the  Palace.  Would  the  sentinels  challenge  her 
right  to  pass  the  gates?  She  was  ignorant  of  the 
rules  governing  priests  dwelling  in  the  Summer 
Palace.  With  beating  heart  she  walked  on.  The 
gates  were  very  near  now;  a  few  steps  more  and 
she  would  be  outside  the  Palace  walls.  Then  she 
heard  the  Chief  Eunuch's  voice  behind  her. 

"What  news  of  the  courier?"  he  called. 

"None,  Lord  of  Nine  Thousand  Years,"  replied 
the  sentinels  obsequiously. 

"Open  the  gates,  I  would  look  out  on  the  road. " 
As  he  passed  A-lu-te  he  turned  his  head  toward  her. 
His  small  eyes  had  a  look  of  infinite  malice,  of 
subtle  mockery  in  their  depths.  Slowly  A-lu-te 
followed  him.  Intense  terror  had  so  frozen  her 
power  of  thought,  she  had  become  merely  a 
mechanism  propelled  onward  by  an  energy  that, 
though  withdrawn,  was  still  feebly  working.  At 

20 


306          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

the  gate,  she  paused,  shivered,  unable  to  move. 
She  felt  herself  pushed  forward.  The  next  minute 
she  was  outside  of  the  Empress  Dowager's  Summer 
Palace;  the  gates  were  closed  and  locked  behind 
her. 

"Sir  Lama,  if  you  meet  a  courier  on  the  road, 
bid  him  make  haste,  we — the  Old  Buddha  and  I 
— are  waiting  for  him. " 

It  was  the  voice  of  the  Chief  Eunuch.  He  had 
thrust  open  a  panel  in  the  great  centre  gate  and 
was  gazing  after  her  with  a  hideous  expression  of 
merriment.  The  panel  was  closed  and  the  coarse 
face  disappeared.  A-lu-te  stood  still.  Why  had 
the  Chief  Eunuch  allowed  her  to  leave  the  Palace  ? 
Was  it  possible  that  the  Empress  Dowager  still 
protected  her  and  that  he  dared  not  kill  her  while 
she  remained  inside  the  Palace  walls?  There  was 
no  doubt  in  her  mind  that  he  was  hatching  some 
evil  plot  against  her  and  intended  capturing  her 
outside  the  Palace  grounds.  Why,  therefore,  she 
asked  herself,  should  she  run?  Why  seek  to  hide 
herself  from  his  vindictive  pursuit?  Was  not  his 
wicked  eye  watching  even  now  her  slightest  move 
ment? 

The  sun  was  hot;  a  short  distance  off,  stood  a 
clump  of  trees  and  bushes.  A-lu-te  sought  the 
shade  and  sank  despondently  on  the  ground  to 
wait  the  coming  of  the  Chief  Eunuch. 

Before  her  stretched  the  long  sinuous  highway 
leading  to  Peking.  Fields  of  Kaoliang  and  scat 
tered  villages  dotted  the  broad  landscape.  In 


Palace  Eunuchs  and  Prisoners      307 

the  bushes  near  her,  a  peasant  boy  was  lying  prone 
upon  the  ground.  Something  in  the  rigidness  of 
his  attitude  attracted  her  attention.  She  looked 
again  and  more  carefully.  The  boy  was  dead.  A 
sudden  thought  came  to  her  and  with  it  hope, 
which  so  often  sickens  and  so  seldom  dies  in  the 
human  heart,  revived  within  her.  She  glanced 
fearfully  over  her  shoulders.  The  Palace  gates 
were  closed,  so  were  the  slides  in  their  great  panels. 
No  guard  was  in  sight.  It  might  be  that  Li,  sure 
of  his  victim,  was  for  a  time  not  watching.  She 
crouched  low,  close  to  the  dead  body. 

A  few  minutes  later  a  young  peasant  boy 
emerged  from  the  clump  of  trees  and  ran  rapidly 
towards  a  field  of  Kaoliang. 

From  the  round  tower  on  the  wall,  the  Chief 
Eunuch  watched  the  boy  disappear  among  the 
tall,  waving  stalks  and  laughed  noiselessly.  Then 
he  called  his  henchman,  Ho-Shu,  and  gave  him 
certain  minute  instructions. 


CHAPTER  XX 

THE  INN  OF  PEACE  AND  SECURITY 

THE  village  of  Yang-lin  lies  on  the  great  Pechili 
plain,  halfway  between  Peking  and  the  Sum 
mer  Palace.  The  village  consists  of  a  long  street 
lined  on  each  side  with  a  miserable  agglomeration 
of  mud  houses.  Many  of  them  were  crumbling 
away,  the  ruins  serving  as  refuge  for  half-starved 
dogs  or  myriads  of  large  rats. 

Yet  the  village  was  not  as  povery-stricken  as 
its  general  appearance  seemed  to  indicate.  The 
inhabitants  were  fairly  well-to-do  and  their  little 
farms  flourishing. 

Among  the  better  buildings  and  conspicuous  for 
its  cleanliness,  was  the  Inn  of  Peace  and  Security. 
Its  lime- washed  exterior  made  it  a  landmark  in  the 
near  countryside  and  offered  an  agreeable  contrast 
to  the  gloomy  aspect  of  the  other  houses. 

The  prosperity  of  the  inn  of  Peace  and  Security 
depended  upon  travellers  from  the  north  passing 
through  Yang-lin  on  their  way  to  Peking.  The 
courtyard  of  this  inn  one  evening  held  a  noisy 
assembly  of  men  and  animals.  With  the  caravan 
which  had  just  arrived  from  the  north  were  two  or 

308 


The  Inn  of  Peace  and  Security     309 

three  Buddhist  bonzes  going  to  the  capital  to 
witness  a  Lama  Bokte  manifest  his  power  at  the 
noon  hour  of  the  next  day.  The  manifestation 
had  been  purposely  delayed  to  permit  the  pil 
grims  from  the  north  more  time  in  which  to  reach 
Peking.  Among  the  shaven-headed  bonzes — 
their  bald  pates  disfigured  with  small  black  marks 
made  by  the  application  of  hot  irons — were 
wandering  Tibetan  Lamas,  men  from  Mongolia, 
men  from  the  Khalkhas,  itinerant  Chinese  traders, 
pawnbrokers  from  the  neighbouring  villages 
ready  to  prey  upon  the  simple  ingenuous  north 
country  men,  for,  in  commercial  intercourse,  the 
Chinese  consider  the  Tartars  legitimate  and 
natural  subjects  for  fleecing. 

Among  the  guests  was  our  fat  little  Mongol 
friend,  the  owner  of  Lla,  the  racing  camel.  His 
tents  were  pitched  outside  the  village ;  he  had  left 
them  in  charge  of  his  servant  while  he  paid  a  visit 
to  the  host  of  the  Inn  of  Peace  and  Security.  The 
innkeeper  had  formerly  resided  in  Tartary  and, 
having  prospered  there,  had  returned  to  China 
and  established  himself  in  his  native  village  with 
his  Mongolian  wife.  The  little  Mongol  bustled 
about  the  inn  full  of  interest  and  curiosity  concern 
ing  the  affairs  of  others,  especially  their  culinary 
preparations,  which  he  did  not  hesitate  to  examine 
and  criticize.  He  lifted  the  lids  from  pots,  dipped 
his  finger  in  the  contents,  and  carefully  licking  it, 
advised  either  the  addition  of  some  condiment  or 
a  little  less  salt  or  meal  or  a  little  more  garlic. 


3io         The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

The  guests  who  were  preparing  their  own  food 
offered  no  protests  to  these  proceedings.  It  was 
otherwise  when  he  strolled  into  the  large  kitchen, 
where  the  innkeeper's  wife  was  engaged  in  cooking 
for  guests  who  had  no  culinary  arrangements.  He 
removed  the  lid  from  a  huge  pot  of  meat,  plunged 
his  hand  in  and  drew  out  some  of  the  contents, 
tasted  it  and  commented  adversely  upon  its 
flavour.  She  retorted  with  a  swift  and  brilliant 
enumeration  of  his  vicious  characteristics  and  the 
worthlessness  of  all  his  ancestors  from  the  begin 
ning  of  time.  Her  husband  endeavoured  to  stop 
her  volley  of  invectives.  She  turned  upon  him 
instead. 

"Do  you  take  me  for  a  Chinese  woman  who 
slaves  all  day  for  her  worthless  husband,  only  to 
receive  abuse?"  she  shouted.  "You  are  a  lazy, 
shameless  rogue,  passing  your  time  drinking  and 
gambling,  while  I  labour  to  keep  the  establishment 
from  ruin." 

"You  keep  the  establishment  from  ruin!"  he 
cried.  "Huh!  Every  day  of  the  year  your 
bitter  tongue  and  evil  temper  drive  travellers  from 
my  doors.  I  call  all  here  to  witness  if  what  I  say 
is  not  true." 

The  guests  to  whom  he  appealed  remained  silent, 
exhibiting  no  sign  of  interest  in  the  controversy, 
while  the  little  Mongol  calmly  proceeded  to  exam 
ine  the  contents  of  another  pot  upon  the  clay  oven. 

"  It  is  the  cudgel  that  you  need  and  plenty  of  it, " 
continued  the  landlord  loudly. 


The  Inn  of  Peace  and  Security     311 

The  wife  strode  up  to  him  with  a  challenging  air. 

"Well,  since  I  need  the  cudgel  why  do  you  not 
give  it  to  me?  "  She  stood  with  her  arms  akimbo, 
close  to  him.  Although  she  had  lived  in  China 
many  years,  she  had  refused  to  adopt  the  dress  of 
the  native  women,  preferring  to  retain  the  attire 
worn  by  her  own  country  people.  It  consisted  of 
high  leather  boots,  and  a  long  loose  garment  fas 
tened  at  the  waist  by  a  girdle.  This  manner  of 
dress  enhanced  the  masculine  appearance  nature 
had  originally  endowed  her  with. 

"Come,"  she  cried,  "cudgel  me!" 

She  looked  formidable  and  the  husband,  who 
was  a  small  man,  involuntarily  retreated.  Here 
upon  the  travellers  in  the  room  burst  into  a  roar 
of  laughter.  Exasperated  beyond  endurance,  the 
innkeeper  sprang  forward,  and,  forgetting  his  fear 
of  her,  planted  a  formidable  box  on  her  ear. 

Everyone  expected  the  woman  would  revenge 
herself  upon  her  marital  corrector  of  manners  and 
insubordination,  by  half,  if  not  wholly,  killing  him. 
They  rose  to  their  feet,  ready  to  separate  the  com 
batants.  But  the  woman  turned  without  a  word 
and  quietly  resumed  her  interrupted  cooking, 
while  the  innkeeper  loftily  pronounced  these 
words:  "A  husband  must  know  how  to  maintain 
peace  and  order  in  his  household. " 

During  this  scene  a  boy  slipped  unobserved  into 
the  room  and  squatted  on  the  floor  in  a  corner 
near  the  oven.  He  appeared  exhausted  f^om  fa 
tigue.  When  the  woman  returned  to  her  cook- 


312          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

ing  he  addressed  her  in  a  low  voice:  "Give  me 
to  eat  and  a  bit  of  matting  to  lie  on,  then  let  me 
sleep  undisturbed  in  this  corner — I  am  weary." 
He  held  out  some  money,  more  than  sufficient  to 
pay  for  a  meal  and  a  night's  lodging.  Had  she 
been  less  perturbed  by  the  unexpected  masterful 
ness  of  her  meek  husband,  she  might  have  noticed 
the  slender  shape,  the  small  size  of  the  hand  which 
was  thrust  out  to  her.  She  gave  him  food  and  he 
ate  with  avidity.  "Now,  the  matting,  Oh  beauti 
ful  one."  The  woman  gave  a  little  grunt  of 
contempt  at  such  flattery,  though  manifestly  it 
pleased  her.  She  flung  him  a  piece  of  matting ;  he 
covered  himself  with  it  and  went  to  sleep. 

The  Mongol  seated  himself  at  the  long  table 
with  the  other  guests  and  ordered  a  bowl  of  the 
mutton  stew  he  had  tasted,  together  with  rice, 
and  prepared  to  enjoy  his  repast  in  excellent  com 
pany.  He  drew  forth  his  snuff-bottle,  suspended 
from  his  girdle,  and  offered  it  to  his  neighbours. 
They  took  a  pinch  and  in  turn  offered  him  their 
snuff-bottles.  They  exchanged  questions  and 
answers  customary  among  travellers. 

"Did  you  travel  in  peace?" 

"I  travelled  in  peace." 

"Has  your  honourable  journey  been  long?" 

"It  has  indeed  been  long." 

"Where  did  you  come  from?" 

"From  Wang-po." 

"That  is  in  Northern  Mongolia,  is  it  not?" 

"Yes;  it  is  also  where  the  Bokte  Lama  comes 


The  Inn  of  Peace  and  Security      313 

from  who  is  to  manifest  his  power  tomorrow  in 
Peking." 

"What  will  he  do  besides  collecting  all  the  money 
people  will  give  him  for  his  Lamasery  in  Tartary  ?  " 
asked  the  Chinese  pawnbroker  with  something  of 
a  sneer. 

"I  have  said  he  will  manifest  his  power. " 

"Well,  I,  for  one,  do  not  believe  he  has  any 
power  different  from  our  Pechili  bonzes.  There 
was  one  who  built  himself  a  little  booth  outside 
my  cousin's  shop  in  Peking  and  he  nailed  his  cheek 
to  the  door  of  the  booth  and  stood  there  for  an 
entire  week.  He  had  a  sign  up  telling  the  people 
he  had  made  a  vow  not  to  remove  the  nail  until 
he  had  raised  a  certain  sum  of  money  to  repair  his 
temple  in  the  Eastern  Hills.  At  the  end  of  the 
week,  when  he  collected  more  than  half  the  sum, 
he  died,  still  standing  with  his  cheek  nailed  to  the 
door.  What  power  did  he  manifest?  None! 
Any  one  can  do  as  much!" 

"Doubtless  you  speak  the  truth  concerning  the 
Chinese  bonzes,  but  with  the  Bokte  Lamas  in  my 
country  it  is  different.  I,  myself,  have  made  the 
pilgrimage  to  the  Lamasery  of  Rache-tchurin  to 
witness  the  manifestation  which  took  place  there 
two  years  ago. " 

"Well,  and  what  took  place?"  asked  the  pawn 
broker,  skeptically. 

"The  Bokte  killed  himself,  yet  did  not  die," 
returned  the  Mongol  solemnly. 

"Yes,  yes,"  exclaimed  several  voices  from  the 


314          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

other  end  of  the  table.  "We  have  heard  that  in 
the  Lamaseries  of  Tibet  and  Mongolia  there  are 
Lamas  who  perform  miraculous  operations.  What 
did  this  Bokte  Lama  you  saw?'* 

''Brothers,  I  will  relate  what  I  witnessed,"  said 
the  Mongol.  "Many  pilgrims  journeyed  that  year 
to  the  Lamasery  I  spoke  of.  When  the  appointed 
day  came,  we  assembled  in  the  great  court  of  the 
Lamasery.  An  altar  was  raised  before  the  temple 
gates.  The  Lamas  ranged  themselves  in  a  circle 
around  the  altar  and  recited  aloud  invocations  to 
Buddha.  The  Bokte  appeared.  He  was  a  young 
man,  weak  and  thin  from  many  days  of  fasting. 
He  did  not  belong  to  the  higher  ranks  of  Lamas, 
though  his  piety  had  brought  renown  to  the 
Lamasery.  He  seated  himself  on  the  altar  and 
took  from  his  girdle  a  long,  sharp  knife  which  he 
laid  on  his  knees.  He  sat  there  quite  immovable 
like  an  image  of  stone.  The  Lamas  prayed  louder 
and  louder  and  faster  and  faster,  till  it  was  like  a 
whirlwind  of  sound  we  listened  to.  The  prayers 
ceased  of  a  sudden.  The  Bokte  trembled  violently, 
then  sprang  up,  threw  aside  his  garment,  and,  with 
his  sacred  knife,  ripped  wide  his  stomach  from  top 
to  bottom.  The  blood  squirted  high,  then  flowed 
like  a  river  swelled  from  the  rains.  We  pilgrims 
prostrated  ourselves  before  the  pious  spectacle; 
many  interrogated  the  Bokte  concerning  events 
hidden  from  mortal  eye  and  all  of  them  he  an 
swered.  The  prayers  of  the  kneeling  Lamas  were 
then  resumed,  but  quietly,  softly.  The  Bokte 


The  Inn  of  Peace  and  Security     315 

passed  his  hand  rapidly  over  his  wound  to  close 
it.  He  wrapped  his  garment  about  him,  recited 
a  prayer,  and  disappeared  behind  the  doors  of  the 
temple,  perfectly  healed  and  stronger  in  body 
than  before. " 

The  Mongol  ceased  speaking. 

"Wonderful !  wonderful ! "  exclaimed  his  listeners. 

" Wonderful  indeed;  you  may  witness  a  like 
miracle  in  Peking  tomorrow,"  said  the  Mongol. 

"  We  will  go  to  witness  it, "  they  cried  in  chorus. 

Only  the  pawnbroker  shook  his  head.  "Go,  if 
you  wish,  you  will  have  your  trouble  for  nothing. 
The  young  Emperor  will  not  permit  the  manifes 
tations.  My  cousin,  he  who  lives  in  Peking,  says 
the  Solitary  One  has  now  forbidden  Buddhist 
zealots  to  collect  money  in  the  capital  by  public 
exhibitions  of  self -mutilations. " 

"Your  cousin's  talk  is  foolishness,'*  declared 
one  of  the  travellers.  ' '  Does  he  live  in  Peking  and 
yet  not  know  what  all  the  world  knows,  that, 
though  Kuang  Hsu  reigns,  he  does  not  rule  ?  Now, 
if  the  Old  Buddha  wishes  to  stop  this  manifesta 
tion  it  will  be  stopped,  you  may  be  sure,  and  not 
otherwise. " 

"The  Benign  Mother  would  never  decry  the 
merit  and  sanctity  of  the  holy  priests  of  Buddha, 
or  interfere  with  their  sacred  spectacles,"  cried 
a  traveller  from  the  Khalkhas. 

"Bah!  The  Benign  Mother  will  do  exactly 
as  she  pleases  without  regard  to  any  one's  merits 
or  sanctity. " 


3i 6         The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

"Well,  I  care  not  whether  the  manifestations 
take  place  or  not;  I  have  business  in  Peking.  I 
go  to  sell  some  fine  camels  in  the  Mongol  market. " 

This  reminded  our  little  Mongol  friend  of  his 
parting  with  his  Bactrian  camel,  and  he  proceeded 
to  relate  to  the  company  the  events  of  the  previous 
night,  telling  them  in  detail  of  his  conversation 
with  the  stranger  who  had  come  to  his  tent  and 
who  had  offered  to  purchase  Lla,  an  offer  promptly 
rejected,  and,  finally,  of  the  wager  that  they  had 
made.  The  men  were  interested.  "What  did 
the  stranger  call  himself?"  they  asked,  amazed 
that  any  Chinese  would  try  to  ride  a  racing  camel, 
and,  moreover,  for  a  distance  of  three  hundred  Us 
in  one  day. 

"I  do  not  know  his  name;  he  was  neither  Tartar, 
Tibetan,  nor  Chinese — he  may  have  been  a  Dchia- 
hour  (from  India) — his  country  lies  to  the  West. " 

"Ho!"  said  a  Chinese  merchant  with  infinite 
scorn,  "you  do  not  know  his  name  or  country  and 
expect  him  to  return  with  your  camel  and  pay  his 
bet!  Truly  you  Tartars  are  easily  gulled." 

'  *  He  will  return — moreover  he  paid  the  full  price 
of  the  camel,  though  Buddha  is  witness  I  did  not 
sell  my  Lla !  Also  he  left  with  me  this. "  He  drew 
a  large  gold  watch  from  his  pocket  and  proudly 
demonstrated  its  manner  of  announcing  the  hour 
in  the  dark.  All  were  impressed ;  even  the  Chinese 
pawnbroker  admitted  that  the  watch  was  of 
marvellous  mechanism  and  valuable.  Just  then 
a  loud  voice  was  heard  in  the  court. 


The  Inn  of  Peace  and  Security      317 

A  shrieking  and  protesting  bonze  burst  into  the 
room  followed  by  some  half  dozen  Bannermen. 
They  seized  him,  tearing  his  clothes  in  the  struggle, 
and  were  apparently  endeavouring  to  peel  the 
skin  from  his  dirty  bald  pate. 

"Will  you  allow  this  wickedness?"  he  yelled, 
"See,  so  have  they  treated  every  priest  of  us  out 
there — rent  our  garments,  scratched  and  torn  our 
heads,  sacrilege  unspeakable — and  for  what  I 
ask,  for  what?  Because  we  are  disciples  of  the 
Holy  One,  because  we  heal  the  sick  with  prayers, 
because  we — "  he  choked  with  rage  and  could  not 
continue. 

No  one  came  to  his  assistance.  The  little  Mon 
gol  indeed  was  horrified  at  such  treatment  being 
accorded  a  man  of  Buddha.  He  rose  precipitately 
and  would  have  rushed  to  the  rescue  had  not  the 
men  on  either  side  of  him  held  him  down. 

"Keep  your  seat!"  they  whispered  a  good  na- 
tured  warning  in  his  ear.  "These  are  Bannermen 
of  the  Heavenly  Tiger  Corps  stationed  near  the 
Summer  Palace,  arrogant,  reckless  rascals,  whose 
ill-will  you  had  best  not  excite.  Besides,  it  is  but 
a  dirty,  stinking  bonze  after  all." 

Most  Chinese  entertain  the  liveliest  contempt 
for  those  who  enter  the  idle  life  of  the  priesthood, 
whether  these  be  Lamas  from  the  great  Lamas 
eries  of  Tibet  and  Tartary,  or  begging  bonzes,  or 
priests  from  the  rich  Buddhist  temples  scattered 
over  the  land.  The  Mongolians  and  Tibetans,  on 
the  contrary,  are  a  devout  people  and  regard  the 


3-1 8          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

men  "who  leave  their  families"  to  serve  Buddha 
with  a  degree  of  veneration  seldom,  if  ever,  ac 
corded  them  elsewhere. 

The  Bannermen,  after  satisfying  themselves 
that  the  bonze's  bald  pate  was  not  removable, 
threw  him  contemptuously  aside.  He  gathered 
his  torn  raiment  around  him  and  showered  curses 
on  the  Bannermen  as  fast  as  his  tongue  could 
waggle. 

"Throw  that  squealing  pig  out ! "  ordered  the  big 
corporal.  The  bonze  was  seized  and  summarily 
ejected. 

Then  the  Bannerman  inspected  the  men  at  the 
table. 

"Well, "  said  the  merchant,  "what  do  you  think 
of  us?" 

"That!"  retorted  the  big  corporal  snapping  his 
thumb  and  forefinger  under  the  merchant's  nose. 

"Sir  Soldiers!"  said  the  landlord  stepping  into 
the  room  and  bowing  obsequiously,  "my  humble 
establishment  is  greatly  honoured  by  your  pres 
ence.  What  do  your  eminent  distinctions  command 
to  eat?" 

"Think  you  we  have  come  to  eat  in  your  vile 
inn,  fellow?  No !  we  come  to  seek  one  who  has  fled 
from  the  Summer  Palace  disguised  as  a  Lama. " 

"A  eunuch  no  doubt,"  said  the  pawnbroker; 
"they  are  always  running  away." 

"This  time  it  was  a  woman,"  volunteered  the 
corporal. 

"A  slave-girl?" 


The  Inn  of  Peace  and  Security     319 

The  big  corporal  laid  his  finger  on  the  side  of  his 
nose.  "Do  you  think  Li  Lien  Y ing  would  raise 
such  a  hue  and  cry  over  a  slave-girl?" 

"Give  command  to  your  men  that  they  search 
the  village,  Sir  Captain,  while  you  remain  and 
share  with  me  my  food  and  relate  this  latest  affair 
of  the  Palace,"  urged  the  pawnbroker,  whose 
relish  was  keen  for  scandal. 

The  corporal's  smile  of  complaisance  showed 
that  the  compliment  of  being  taken  for  a  captain 
had  gone  home. 

He  issued  his  orders  to  the  five  Bannermen,  then 
threw  himself  on  the  bench  by  the  table  and  pro 
ceeded  to  eat  from  the  pawnbroker's  bowl  with 
such  unconstrained  heartiness  of  appetite  that 
the  latter  was  disconcerted  and  already  repented 
of  his  invitation. 

"Well,  what  of  the  woman?"  he  asked  sulkily. 

The  soldier  tipped  the  bowl  up  and  drank  with 
loud  suction  the  sauce  from  which  he  had  eaten  the 
succulent  morsels  of  meat  and  garlic.  He  wiped 
his  greasy  chin  on  the  back  of  his  hand,  coughed 
violently,  spat  out  a  bit  of  bone  which  had  come 
near  to  choking  him,  then  said  coolly,  "What  of 
her  ?  How  should  I  know  ?  Li  tells  no  more  than 
he  chooses  and  this  time  it  was  precious  little." 

"Is  it  for  that  you  have  devoured  my  food?" 
cried  the  pawnbroker  angrily.  "Beyond  question, 
your  conduct  is  shameless." 

"Softly,  softly,"  said  the  Bannerman,  rendered 
good  humoured  by  his  free  repast,  "consult  the 


320          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

dictates  of  reason  instead  of  getting  into  a  temper 
about  nothing.  I  have  said  that  Li's  tongue  was 
silent,  but  is  his  the  only  tongue  that  wags  in  the 
Summer  Palace?  Among  the  eunuchs  is  one  I 
know;  he  presides  over  the  cooks  in  the  Old 
Buddha's  kitchen  and  from  him  I  learnt  this — the 
woman  is  high  in  rank  and  not  long  in  the  Palace. 
The  Old  Buddha  is  in  a  towering  rage  because  she 
has  fled  and  has  given  orders  that  search  be  made 
not  only  in  the  villages  roundabout,  but  in  all  the 
temples  on  the  hills. 

"  It  is  rumoured  that  she  stole  the  Old  Buddha's 
private  seal  to  sign  the  release  of  a  cursed  rebel, 
Fen-Sha  by  name,  who  is  condemned  to  the 
lingering  death,  and  that  she  intrigued  with  some 
man  outside  the  Palace  to  carry  the  decree  to  the 
Tientsin  Yamen,  where  this  Fen-Sha  was  in  prison. 
A  reward  of  five  hundred  taels  is  offered  for  the 
capture  of  the  fellow  who  carried  the  false  decree. 
Nothing  is  known  of  him,  except  that  he  rode  to 
Tienstin  like  a  demon  on  a  racing  camel  larger  than 
any  ever  seen  here  before.  " 

At  this  all  the  men  shouted  and  turned  with  one 
accord  toward  the  Mongol. 

"Oh,  the  liar!  the  black-hearted  knave!  the 
arrant  cheat!  Did  he  not  tell  me  he  wanted  my 
camel  to  carry  to  a  sick  friend  some  life-giving 
medicine  obtained  from  a  Living  Buddha!"  cried 
the  little  Mongol.  ' '  He  is  an  enemy  to  truth.  Who 
now  can  assure  me  that  I  will  see  my  Lla  again! 
May  the  ancestors  hate  so  great  a  villain!" 


The  Inn  of  Peace  and  Security      321 

The  Bannerman  looked  at  him  in  astonishment. 
"Twas  your  camel  that  he  rode,  say  you?" 
he  demanded.  The  Mongol  now  repeated  the 
story  he  had  told  the  others  of  the  stranger's 
visit  to  his  tent  and  of  the  wager  he  had  made  with 
him.  The  Bannerman  listened  with  marked  at 
tention. 

"You  are  sure  he  agreed  to  return  within  the 
week  with  the  camel  ?  And  meet  you  at  the  hotel 
of  the  Five  Felicities?  Very  good,  I  will  be  there 
to  receive  him.  Now,  listen  carefully  to  what  I 
say :  if  you  would  leave  this  place  as  happy  as  you 
came,  keep  silent  on  this  matter.  And  you — and 
you — and  you — "  he  eyed  in  turn  severely  each 
man  seated  at  the  table,  "I  will  arrange  for  the 
capture  of  the  fellow  and " 

"And  claim  the  five  hundred  taels  reward,"  mur 
mured  the  pawnbroker. 

The  Bannerman  appeared  not  to  hear,  but  con 
tinued  slowly,  distinctly,  "And  I  will  not  advise 
the  authorities  that  all  of  you  here  have  heard  of 
this  matter,  and  should  be  held  as  witnesses 
against  him. " 

To  be  held  as  witness  is  equivalent  to  being  held 
prisoner  in  the  Yamen,  and  every  Chinese  knows 
the  adage  advising  the  dead  to  keep  out  of  hell  and 
the  living  to  keep  out  of  Yamens. 

No  other  inducement  was  needed  to  seal  their 
lips.  The  soldier  waited  idly  a  few  minutes,  then 
strolled  towards  the  door.  As  he  opened  it, 
Ho-Shu  glided  in.  The  Bannerman  started  and, 


322          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

with  a  half -frightened,  wholly  deferential  air, 
stood  at  attention.  "What  success?"  asked  Ho- 
Shu  without  looking  at  him ;  his  eyes  were  searching 
the  room. 

"None  as  yet;  I  have  searched  here,  my  men 
are  now  going  through  every  house  in  the  village. 
I  was  about  to  join  them  even  now. " 

"Imbecile!"  said  Ho-Shu,  and  stepped  softly 
past  him  to  the  clay  oven.  He  stooped  and  with  a 
sudden  rapid  motion  raised  a  piece  of  matting 
from  the  floor.  The  white  face  of  a  boy  looked  up 
at  him.  The  men  in  the  room  stared  in  surprise, 
looked  closer  and  burst  into  a  roar  of  laughter. 
This  was  not  a  boy,  but  a  young  woman,  the 
runaway  palace  concubine!  Here  was  spice  and 
saki  for  them!  They  crowded  around  Ho-Shu, 
questioning,  exclaiming,  commenting.  Ho-Shu 
paid  them  scant  attention  except  to  wave  them 
back,  nor  did  the  woman  speak.  She  had  fainted. 
The  eunuch  picked  her  up,  slung  her  over  his  shoul 
der  like  a  sack  of  charcoal,  and  left  the  room,  the 
court,  in  a  word,  left  the  inn  of  Peace  and  Security. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

BACK  TO  PEKING 

BILLY  LADE  stood  by  the  bed  in  the  guest  room 
of  his  bungalow,  mopping  his  perspiring  brow. 
He  had  not  found  it  easy  to  lift  the  dead  weight 
of  a  man  of  Follingsbee's  size  and  build.  Yet  he 
had  carried  him  unassisted  from  the  cart  into  the 
house.  He  had  sent  his  driver  post  haste  after  the 
English  doctor,  and  he  had  been  unwilling  to 
summon  the  house-boys.  Follingsbee's  Chinese 
garb  and  strange  appearance  would  set  them  talk 
ing  and  the  Yamen  had  a  long  ear. 

He  bent  over  the  silent  figure  on  the  bed  anx 
iously,  but  could  see  no  signs  of  returning  con 
sciousness. 

He  was  at  a  loss  what  to  do  while  waiting  for  the 
doctor.  A  vague  recollection  came  to  him  of 
having  once  seen  water  dashed  over  the  face  of  a 
fainting  woman ;  he  determined  to  try  the  efficacy 
of  this  remedy  on  Follingsbee.  He  seized  a  large 
pitcher  of  water,  and  carefully  emptied  the  entire 
contents  over  the  face  of  his  friend.  The  result 
surpassed  his  best  expectations,  for  the  sudden  cold 
shock  restored  Follingsbee  to  consciousness.  He 

323  . 


324         The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

opened  his  eyes  and  fixed  them  on  the  red,  per 
spiring  face  of  Billy  Lade. 

"All  right  again,  old  fellow,  eh?"  cried  Billy 
Lade  delightedly.  ' '  Want  a  towel ?  Dry  yourself ; 
some  wet  now,  but  water  best  thing  imaginable 
when  you  ain't  feeling  fit, — taken  on  the  outside, 
of  course — no  good  whatsomever  swallowed." 

He  seized  a  large  bath  towel  and  began  vigor 
ously  rubbing  the  face  of  his  patient. 

"Look  here — stop  that!"  gasped  Follingsbee 
feebly  and  asked,  "Where  did  you  come  from?" 
He  tried  to  sit  up  in  bed,  but  sank  back  on  to  the 
pillows  unequal  to  the  exertion. 

"Where  did  I  come  from?  Well,  I  like  that! 
Where  the  deuce  did  you  come  from?  What  mis 
chief  have  you  been  up  to  now?  that's  the  point. 
Come  now,  'f ess  up — what  have  you  been  a-doin ' 
that  you  must  fall  like  a  log  in  a  dirty  alley  in  the 
native  city  in  company  with  a  pigtailed  chap 
every  foggy  old  mandarin  in  the  Empire  itches  to 
get  hold  of?" 

"Tell  me  all  about  it,  Lade,"  said  Follingsbee, 
and  Billy  Lade  related  in  his  own  lucid  fashion 
what  had  occurred  from  the  moment  his  cart 
driver  was  hailed  by  a  panting  Chinese  in  the 
native  city,  to  the  present  hour. 

Follingsbee  listened  silently,  till  Billy  Lade 
came  to  that  portion  of  his  story  where  he  asked 
the  young  Chinese  if  he  had  a  name  and  what  in 
hell  it  was. 

"  Did  he  tell  you?"  asked  Follingsbee  eagerly. 


Back  to  Peking  325 

"Rather!  D'yer  think  I'd  let  a  blanky-blank 
Chinaman  refuse  to  answer  a  civil  question  I  put 
to  him?" 

"Well,  the  name!  What  was  the  name?"  In 
his  eagerness  Follingsbee  again  tried  to  sit  up  and 
again  fell  back  on  to  his  pillows.  Billy  eyed  him 
uneasily. 

"Come  now,  you  mustn't  do  that,  you  know, 
you'll  be  off  again  and  frankly  I  don't  like  your 
looks  when  you're  off.  Kinder  makes  me  think  of 
funerals  and  corpses.  Beastly  unpleasant  things, 
funerals  and  corpses — never  could  abide  'em." 

"His  name?"  whispered  Follingsbee  weakly,  but 
with  insistence  in  his  voice. 

"Fen-Sha,  the  reformer  chap, "  said  Billy  Lade. 

Follingsbee  sighed  contentedly,  closed  his  eyes, 
and  went  healthfully  to  sleep. 

"Well,"  ruminated  Billy  Lade,  gazing  at  him, 
"that's  the  best  thing  he  can  do,  also  the  most 
aggravatin'.  I'd  give  twenty  good  silver  Mexicans 
to  know  what  he's  mixing  himself  up  for  with 
native  reformers. " 

Then  he  tiptoed  from  the  room.  In  the  hall  the 
driver  awaited  him  with  the  information  that  the 
doctor  was  not  at  home,  he  had  been  called  on  a 
serious  case;  the  hour  of  his  return  was  uncertain. 
Billy  Lade  did  not  care;  his  patient  was  doing 
famously  owing  to  his  own  clever  ministrations. 
In  the  morning,  if  necessary,  he  would  send  again 
for  the  doctor.  He  threw  himself  on  a  bamboo 
lounge  in  an  adjoining  room,  and  leaving  the  door 


326          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

wide  open,  in  case  Follingsbee  called,  went  to 
sleep. 

Follingsbee  was  still  soundly  sleeping  when  the 
next  morning  Billy  Lade  roused  himself  to  look 
in  upon  him,  and  he  was  sleeping  when,  at  high 
noon,  his  host  came  with  a  boy,  bearing  a  tray 
laden  with  tiffin  sufficient  for  three  hungry  men. 
The  tray  was  deposited  on  a  table  and  master  and 
servant  softly  left  the  room. 

At  five  o'clock  Billy  Lade  returned  from  a  short 
canter  in  the  Tientsin  Park  to  find  his  guest  still 
sleeping,  and  he  was  sleeping  when  he  rose  from  an 
eight  o'clock  dinner  that  night. 

"Getting  to  be  sorter  stale  thing — this  sleeping 
— wish  he'd  wake  up — a  fellow  naturally  wants 
to  talk  a  bit  when  he's  got  a  friend  staying  with 
him." 

At  twelve  when  he  tumbled  into  bed,  he  said, 
"If  he  don't  wake  himself  by  ten  tomorrow  morn 
ing,  why,  by  Jove,  I'll  fetch  the  doctor  to  do  it 
for  him." 

But  someone,  who  was  not  Billy  Lade,  or  the 
English  doctor,  awakened  Follingsbee  long  before 
ten  the  next  morning. 

The  night  was  well  advanced  when  Follingsbee, 
still  soundly  sleeping,  seemed  to  hear,  as  if  in  a 
dream,  his  name  repeated  over  and  over  again. 
Notwithstanding  every  effort  he  could  neither 
open  his  eyes  nor  speak.  He  experienced  that  op 
pressive  feeling  which  comes  with  a  nightmare. 
Suddenly  he  felt  a  violent  shock.  He  knew  strong, 


Back  to  Peking  327 

implacable  hands  were  laid  upon  him  and  that  he 
was  being  lifted  up  and  cast  into  a  deep  dark  abyss. 
He  wakened  to  find  himself  on  the  floor  by  his  bed. 
Someone  had  lighted  a  candle.  He  saw  a  hideous 
face  peering  down  upon  him.  Was  he  awake  or 
was  the  nightmare  still  gripping  him?  He  sprang 
to  his  feet  to  find  out  and  seized  the  intruder  by  the 
shoulders.  "You  scoundrel " 

"Softly,  softly,  Follingsbee,  you'll  rouse  the 
house,"  said  a  familiar  voice  in  his  ear.  "You  are 
a  wonderful  sleeper;  I've  been  trying  to  wake  you 
for  the  last  half  hour,  then  was  forced  to  extreme 
measures.  You're  none  the  worse  for  your  fall, 
I  hope?" 

Follingsbee  drew  back  and  stared  at  the  speaker 
in  amazement.  The  voice  was  the  voice  of  Fen- 
Sha,  but  the  face  was  that  of  a  wrinkled,  yellow- 
toothed  old  man. 

"Are  you "  he  began. 

The  old  man  nodded  laughing.  "Yes, "  he  said. 
"My  makeup  is  good,  isn't  it?  I  wouldn't  leave 
Tientsin  till  I  had  assured  myself  that  you  were  all 
right  again  and  expressed  my  gratitude;  also 
heard  from  your  own  lips  how  you  obtained  my 
release. " 

Whereupon  Follingsbee  told  him  of  A-lu-te's 
wonderful  courage  and  noble  self-sacrifice,  dwelling 
as  little  as  possible  upon  his  own  share  in  the 
dangerous  enterprise.  His  fearful  ride  on  Lla, 
the  Bactrian  camel,  he  passed  over  entirely. 

When  he  concluded,   the  young  Chinese  said 


328         The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

quietly,  "  It  is  useless  to  try  and  thank  you ;  what 
you  have  done  for  me  cannot  be  repaid  by  life 
long  loyalty  to  our  friendship;  but  from  my  heart 
I  am  grateful  to  you.  Now  I  must  leave. " 

He  rose  and  going  to  the  window  prepared  to 
depart  in  the  same  manner  by  which  he  had 
entered. 

"Wait  a  moment,"  said  Follingsbee,  "I  return 
to  Peking  tomorrow.  Have  you  no  message  to 
send  A-lu-te  ?  It  is  to  her  and  not  to  me  you  owe 
your  freedom."  He  spoke  the  last  words  some 
what  sharply,  for  the  young  reformer  had  ex 
pressed  neither  surprise,  sorrow,  nor  gratitude  for 
the  girl  who  had  risked,  if  she  had  not  already  lost, 
her  own  life  to  give  him  his. 

"No;  why  should  I  send  a  message?"  he  asked 
quietly. 

"Look  here,  Fen-Sha,  I  don't  like  to  say  it,  but 
you're  a  contemptible  brute. " 

Fen-Sha  looked  at  him  in  surprise.  "Why  should 
I  send  a  message?"  he  repeated. 

"Why?  Why,  confound  you — because — be 
cause — "  Follingsbee  choked  with  anger,  he 
could  not  find  words  in  which  to  express  himself. 
Was  it  for  the  sake  of  this  cold  callous  man  that 
the  brave  and  beautiful  Manchu  girl  had  perhaps 
already  given  up  her  life? 

Fen-Sha  stood  with  one  leg  raised  on  the  win 
dow-sill,  when  a  thought  seemed  to  strike  him. 
He  stepped  back  into  the  room.  ' c  Did  you  believe 
I  was  not  going  myself  to  Peking?"  he  asked.  "I 


Back  to  Peking  329 

do  not  send  a  message  because  I  shall  be  the  one  to 
take  it — and  her,"  he  added  softly. 

Follingsbee  stretched  out  his  hand.  ' '  Forgive  me 
for  a  fool,"  he  said. 

Fen-Sha  smiled  as  he  took  the  hand.  "We 
Chinese  do  not  like  to  talk  to  others  about  our 
wives  and — as  you  call  them  over  in  your  country — 
our  sweethearts. ' ' 

Then  he  again  started  for  the  window,  and  again 
Follingsbee  stopped  him.  "Wait,  I  am  going  with 
you." 

"To  Peking?" 

"Yes." 

"Travelling  with  me  means  risking  your  life 
again,  "  Fen-Sha  warned  him. 

"That's  my  affair,"  returned  Follingsbee  and 
proceeded  to  dress  himself. 

"Eat,"  said  Fen-Sha,  pointing  to  the  tray  and 
rightly  divining  that  Follingsbee  had  taken  no 
food  since  he  was  brought  into  the  bungalow. 

Follingsbee  demolished  the  food  without  a 
second  bidding.  Then  they  left  the  house  together. 

"Wait  for  me  at  the  river-bank  just  outside  the 
North  City  Gate,"  said  Follingsbee.  "I  have  some 
business  to  attend  to  before  I  leave  Tientsin. " 

"I  will  wait  an  hour  for  you — not  longer," 
replied  Fen-Sha. 

No  one  was  abroad  at  this  early  hour.  They 
soon  left  the  foreign  concession  and  followed  for 
awhile  together  the  tortuosities  of  the  alleys, 
misnamed  streets,  in  the  native  city.  Then  they 


330          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

separated,  Fen-Sha  going  on  to  the  river-bank, 
while  Follingsbee  sought  the  Inn  of  the  Blue  Sea. 
He  pounded  long  and  lustily  on  the  door.  It  was 
opened  by  a  sleepy  servant,  who  asked  crossly 
what  he  meant  by  disturbing  honest  folks  at  such 
an  early  hour.  Without  replying  Follingsbee 
pushed  him  unceremoniously  aside  and  hurried 
into  the  court  looking  to  the  right  and  left  for  Lla, 
the  Bactrian  camel.  The  camel  was  not  there. 
Seizing  the  astonished  servant  by  the  collar, 
Follingsbee  shook  him  vigorously  to  rouse  in  him 
an  appreciation  of  the  importance  of  the  question 
he  was  about  to  ask  him.  Having,  he  thought, 
accomplished  the  purpose,  he  demanded  to  be  told 
what  had  become  of  the  camel  he  had  left  in  care 
of  the  innkeeper  two  nights  ago.  The  servant 
looked  at  him  with  a  disagreeable  smile  on  his  thin 
pinched  lips.  ' '  Ah !  well !  you  have  arrived.  Wait, 
I  will  summon  the  master."  With  that  he  made 
off,  while  Follingsbee  strode  up  and  down  the 
court  impatiently.  He  was  about  to  go  after  the 
innkeeper  himself,  when  that  worthy  appeared. 

"Where  is  my  camel?"  demanded  Follingsbee. 

The  innkeeper  gazed  at  him  with  a  benevolent 
expression. 

"It  is  a  great  happiness  to  see  your  Excellency 
again.  Will  you  step  in,  noble  sir,  and  repose 
yourself  while  my  servant  goes  forth  to  fetch  the 
camel?" 

"Where  is  she?"  asked  Follingsbee. 

"A  most  magnificent  beast.     Ah!  I  know  a  fine 


Back  to  Peking  331 

camel  when  I  see  one,  and  I  took  my  precautions, 
for,  though  my  guests  are  all  excellent  gentlemen, 
still  an  innkeeper  must  not  repose  too  great 
confidence  in  every  stranger  who  comes  within 
his  gates.  Step  inside,  step  inside,  in  a  little  time 
my  servant  will  bring  the  camel  here." 

Something  about  the  man's  oily  tones  aroused 
Follingsbee's  suspicions.  Where  was  the  servant 
going?  Not  for  the  camel,  he  felt  convinced  of 
that.  Moreover  the  innkeeper's  efforts  to  induce 
him  to  enter  the  house  struck  him  as  unpleasantly 
insistent.  The  servant  had  unbarred  the  door 
and  was  slipping  out,  when  Follingsbee,  moved  by 
a  sudden  impulse,"  quickly  strode  up  to  him  and 
thrust  him  back  into  the  court.  Then  he  shut  the 
door.  "Now,"  he  said,  "the  truth,  or  I'll  force  it 
out  of  both  of  you  with  this."  He  drew,  from 
under  his  long  Chinese  coat,  a  revolver.  At  the 
first  sight  of  the  weapon,  the  servant  uttered  a  howl 
and  took  refuge  in  the  house.  The  innkeeper  was 
about  to  follow  his  excellent  example,  when  he  was 
prevented  by  Follingsbee's  curt  order  to  "stand." 
The  command  being  accompanied  by  an  ominous 
click  of  the  revolver,  the  innkeeper  experienced  no 
difficulty  in  obeying. 

"One  never  needs  one's  wits  so  much  as  when 
one  has  to  do  with  a  fool, "  he  muttered. 

"Where  were  you  sending  your  servant?  The 
truth — speak,"  said  Follingsbee. 

"And  why  not?  What !  are  we  not  all  brothers? 
Away  with  subterfuge.  He  was  going  to  the 


332          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

Yamen  where  I  sent  the  camel  after  you  on  the 
night  of  your  honourable  arrival. " 

"  To  the  Yamen ! "  exclaimed  Follingsbee  aghast. 

Then,  seeing  the  innkeeper  grin  maliciously, 
he  deliberately  placed  the  mouth  of  the  revolver 
against  the  fellow's  yellow  temple.  "You  spoke 
part  truth.  The  servant  was  indeed  going  to  the 
Yamen  and  to  announce  my  return  here.  But  the 
camel  you  stole.  Produce  her  without  delay  or 
I'll  send  you  to  join  your  ancestors — if  indeed  such 
a  scurvy  thief  as  you  has  ancestors. " 

If  he  had  ancestors!  The  insult  was  difficult 
to  swallow,  but  the  innkeeper  gulped  hard  and 
succeeded.  "Excellent  gentleman,"  he  whined, 
"curb  your  anger,  remove  your  fire- weapon,  arid 
I  will  speak.  The  same  evening  upon  which  you 
left  my  humble  inn,  to  repair  to  the  Yamen,  the 
lictors  ran  through  the  streets  shouting  that  a  false 
courier  from  Peking  had  arrived  and  that  the  death 
penalty  awaited  the  person  who  dare  harbour  him. 
I  feared  for  myself,  for  I  became  convinced  your 
honourable  self  was  the  same  courier,  and  if  the 
magistrate  found  out  you  had  put  up  in  my  house 
and  I  had  let  you  escape,  even  through  ignorance, 
he  would  not  spare  me.  So  I  took  the  camel  late 
that  night  outside  the  wall  and  left  it.  You  will 
find  it  there  without  doubt,  for  no  one  would  be  so 
dishonest  as  to  steal  the  beast. " 

That  this  explanation  was  again  only  half  truth, 
Follingsbee  knew.  By  further  threats,  he  finally 
extracted  from  the  innkeeper  an  admission  that  he 


Back  to  Peking  333 

had  sold  the  camel  to  a  guest  going  south.  After 
obtaining  a  description  of  the  purchaser,  who  the 
innkeeper  swore  was  a  one-legged  man,  Follingsbee 
soundly  trounced  him  for  his  dishonesty  and 
hastened  off.  He  felt  that  it  would  be  impossible 
to  return  to  Peking  without  Lla,  that  he  was  in 
honour  bound  to  make  every  effort  to  recover  the 
Mongol's  valuable  Bactrian.  He  directed  his 
steps  to  the  river-bank.  He  intended  to  tell  Fen- 
Sha  he  would  not  accompany  him  to  the  capital. 
He  found  him  squatting  on  the  ground  peeling 
watermelon  seeds  with  his  long  nails,  and  eating 
them  with  apparent  relish.  Beside  him  stood 
Lla,  the  racing  camel! 

''Where  did  you  find  her?  How  did  you  get 
her?"  shouted  Follingsbee  in  delighted  surprise. 

Fen-Sha  carefully  gathered  up  a  few  seeds  he 
had  dropped  and  put  them  in  his  pocket. 

"Who?"  he  asked  laconically. 

' '  My  camel,  standing  beside  you.  I  went  to  the 
inn  where  I  had  left  her  and  the  rascally  innkeeper 
told  me — under  compulsion,  I  confess — that  he 
had  sold  her  to  a  one-legged  man  last  night. " 

"And  so  he  did — for  once  in  his  life  he  spoke  the 
truth ;  I  was  the  one-legged  man.  Why  didn't  you 
tell  me  it  was  the  camel  you  were  after?  I  could 
have  spared  you  time  and  trouble.  Come,  the 
hour  is  up — we  must  start."  They  mounted  the 
camel  and  rode  off. 

Their  ride  lacked  the  element  of  excitement 
which  had  characterized  Follingsbee's  wild  run  to 


334          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

Tientsin.  Fen-Sha  deemed  it  not  only  wiser  to 
avoid  racing  over  the  country  and  again  exciting 
the  curiosity  of  the  people  they  encountered,  but 
he  even  changed  the  direct  route  for  one  longer  and 
less  travelled.  The  next  day  at  noon  they  stopped 
to  rest  in  the  shade  of  trees  guarding  the  tomb  of 
a  wealthy  mandarin.  Fen-Sha  prepared  the 
refreshments,  which  consisted  of  tea,  yam-cakes, 
and  pickled  chives.  Follingsbee  watched  him  in 
luxurious  idleness,  stretched  full  length  on  the 
ground.  He  had  not  yet  regained  his  customary 
vigour.  The  tea  being  made,  they  were  about  to 
drink,  when  a  filthy,  half-clad  figure  appeared 
before  them,  holding  in  his  hands  the  insignia  of 
the  beggar — a  wooden  clap-bowl. 

"Excellencies,  a  little  tea  to  moisten  my  parched 
mouth,"  he  whined.  The  Chinese  beggar  is  a 
peculiarly  repugnant  spectacle.  Follingsbee  put 
his  cup  down  in  disgust,  and  seizing  the  teapot, 
poured  part  of  its  contents  into  the  clap-bowl 
stretched  out  to  him. 

"Begone  now,  don't  linger  to  windward  of  us, " 
he  ordered  as  the  beggar  prepared  to  squat  near 
them.  "You  are  an  affront  to  the  nose." 

"Your  Excellencies  are  travelling  to  Peking?" 
asked  the  beggar  without  moving,  and  without 
waiting  for  an  answer — indeed  Follingsbee  was  too 
astounded  at  the  fellow's  insolent  assurance  to 
speak  for  a  moment — he  added:  "It  is  foolishness 
to  enter  Peking  in  company  with  a  Bactrian 
camel. " 


Back  to  Peking  335 

Pollingsbee's  choler  cooled  as  suddenly  as  it  had 
risen.  "Speak  plainly  what  you  mean,"  he  said, 
attempting  to  disguise  the  uneasiness  the  beggar's 
words  caused  him.  Fen-Sha  appeared  to  take  no 
interest  in  the  scene;  he  continued  to  sip  his  tea, 
making  the  gurgling  sound  of  the  very  old  when 
drinking. 

"I  mean,"  replied  the  beggar  coolly,  "that,  if 
you  and  his  Excellency  there — who  it  seems  has 
grown  amazingly  old  since  the  night  you  broke  that 
cursed  collar  from  my  neck — desire  to  live  a  few 
years  longer,  it  were  best  to  leave  that  beast  there 
behind  you,  before  you  come  in  sight  of  Peking." 
Long  before  the  beggar  had  finished  speaking 
both  Fen-Sha  and  Follingsbee  had  jumped  swiftly 
to  their  feet,  moved  by  the  same  impulse  to  secure 
this  dangerous  fellow  who  had  seen  through  Fen- 
Sha's  disguise.  It  was  only  when  he  mentioned 
the  cangue  that  they  dropped  their  arms  and  stood 
staring  stupidly  down  upon  him.  He,  in  the 
meanwhile,  had  not  troubled  to  shift  his  position 
by  so  much  as  an  inch.  Fen-Sha  was  the  first  to 
recover  himself.  He  burst  out  laughing.  "So!" 
he  cried,  "you're  the  gentleman  of  the  wooden 
necklace!  You  have  followed  us  here.  Why?" 

"I  didn't  follow  you.  How  would  that  be 
possible?  You  have  a  swift  camel,  and  I  only  a 
pair  of  miserable  legs.  But,  as  I  was  resting  in  the 
shade  of  yonder  stone  tortoise,  I  saw  you  dismount 
and  make  ready  to  refresh  yourselves,  and,  as  you 
approached,  I  recognized  his  Lordship  here.  After 


336          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

that  it  was  easy  to  arrive  at  conclusions ;  the  brains 
of  a  yearling  camel  could  do  as  much.  As  you  did 
me  a  great  service  in  freeing  me  from  that  devil's 
collar,  I  was  willing  to  serve  you  also.  That  is  all." 

"No,  that  is  not  all.  Why  did  you  tell  us  not 
to  enter  Peking  with  our  camel?"  asked  Fen-Sha. 

"Why?  Because  every  Bannerman  in  the  city 
has  orders  to  keep  watch  for  a  grey  Bactrian  racing 
camel  and  to  arrest  the  rider. " 

"How  did  you  obtain  this  information?" 

"Two  hours  since  I  met  one  of  our  band  just 
from  Peking — he  told  me. " 

"What  band?"  asked  Follingsbee,  curious  to 
know  what  organization  would  admit  among  its 
members  a  vile  beggar. 

"Have  you  heard  of  the  Ki-mao-fan?"  inquired 
the  beggar. 

Follingsbee  shook  his  head,  but  Fen-Sha  ex 
claimed,  "House  of  the  Hens'  Feathers!  Then 
you  are  of  the  company  of  organized  beggars?" 

The  man  nodded.  "Yes,"  he  said,  a  certain  im 
pudent  pride  in  his  voice  and  manner. 

To  Follingsbee 's  amazement,  Fen-Sha  squatted 
down  beside  the  fellow  with  every  appearance  of 
being  delighted  with  his  company.  "Are  you  on 
your  way  to  Peking?"  he  asked. 

"Yes,"  replied  the  beggar. 

"We  will  help  you  to  arrive  without  undue  fa 
tigue.  You  shall  share  our  camel;  she  is  quite 
capable  of  carrying  the  three  of  us  without  inter 
fering  with  the  swiftness  of  her  gait.  " 


Back  to  Peking  337 

"Look  here — I  object,  "  said  Follingsbee  angrily. 
He  spoke  in  English. 

"It  is  necessary,"  replied  Fen-Sha  in  the  same 
language  and  in  a  low  voice.  "You  will  come 
with  us?"  he  asked,  turning  to  the  beggar.  He 
waited  anxiously  for  his  answer.  "I  will  come," 
he  said. 

Fen-Sha  gave  a  sigh  of  relief  and  jumped  up. 
"Then,  let's  be  off. " 

But  Follingsbee  was  not  disposed  to  accept  this 
arrangement  quietly.  To  travel  an  entire  day  or 
longer  in  close  proximity  with  a  rank  smelling, 
filthy  beggar  (and  no  one  who  has  not  been  close  to 
a  Chinese  beggar  can  realize  just  how  rank  smelling 
he  can  be)  was  not  to  be  tolerated  for  a  minute. 
His  angry  protest  was  checked  almost  before  it 
was  uttered  by  the  surprise  which  Fen-Sha's 
next  words  inspired. 

"We  have  done  you  a  good  turn  and  you  have 
not  failed  to  requite  us,  but  I  am  going  to  ask  you 
to  do  more  and  bespeak  us  a  word  to  your  King 
and  then  lead  us  to  him. " 

"Is  it  because  you  want  the  services  of  the  Or 
ganization?"  he  asked. 

"Yes,  "said  Fen-Sha. 

"For  what  purpose?" 

"To  find  out  if  a  young  Manchu  lady  recently 
admitted  to  the  Summer  Palace  is  still  there  and 
if  not  where  she  is?" 

The  beggar  nodded  again.  "Tonight  you  will 
be  in  Peking  with  me,  then  you  shall  know.  We 


The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

will  ride  the  camel  as  far  as  Lao-to  and  leave  her 
there  in  charge  of  the  Tao-tai  of  the  place.  From 
there  we  will  take  a  cart  to  Peking. " 

Follingsbee  felt  the  situation  had  grown  both 
beyond  his  control  and  comprehension;  he  opened 
his  mouth  now  only  to  gape  in  silent  wonder. 

All  three  men  mounted  the  camel.  Lla  appeared 
not  to  feel  the  additional  weight,  but  with  long 
swinging  strides  set  off  over  the  country. 

In  the  course  of  four  hours  they  reached  Lao-to, 
a  large,  straggling  village.  The  beggar  slipped 
from  the  camel  on  the  outskirts  of  this  village  and 
told  Fen-Sha  to  follow  him.  Follingsbee  was  to 
await  their  return.  They  were  not  long  absent. 
A  well-dressed,  middle-aged  man,  and  his  servant, 
appeared  with  them.  "Is  this  the  camel  your 
Excellency  desires  to  leave  in  my  charge  until  you 
send  for  her  ?  Very  good — that  is  easy  to  arrange. 
Here  is  my  card,  whoever  presents  it  will  be  given 
the  animal.  The  cart  is  being  made  ready." 
With  that  he  raised  his  hands  in  salutation  and, 
followed  by  the  mafoo  leading  the  camel,  walked 
off.  Follingsbee  had  taken  possession  of  the  large 
red  visiting  card.  He  now  watched  the  camel  dis 
appear  with  a  distinct  feeling  of  uneasiness.  How 
could  they  be  sure  that  the  Tao-tai  was  honest  and 
would  deliver  up  Lla  on  the  presentation  of  the 
card?  Fen-Sha  divined  his  thoughts.  "It's  all 
right,"  he  assured  him,  "the  animal  is  under  the 
protection  of  the  Organization — no  one  would 
dare  take  it  now.  The  Tao-tai  will  keep  his  word 


Back  to  Peking  339 

— he  knows  the  Organization  and  has  no  wish  to 
rouse  its  anger. " 

The  beggar,  sitting  on  the  roadside,  his  clap- 
bowl  tucked  under  the  rags  which  only  partially 
covered  his  filthy  person,  nodded  a  calm  assent. 

Follingsbee  felt  his  head  whirling  as  he  looked 
at  this  horrible  specimen  of  humanity  and  tried 
to  realize  that  it  was  he  under  whose  guidance  and 
protection  they  had  voluntarily  placed  themselves 
and  that  it  was  he  who  gave  commands  to  village 
headmen. 

By  and  by  the  cart  appeared.  Follingsbee  seated 
himself  on  the  shafts  opposite  the  driver,  Fen-Sha 
and  the  beggar  crawled  inside.  They  had  cal 
culated  their  arrival  in  Peking  to  a  nicety,  for, 
scarcely  had  the  cart  passed  through  the  great 
gates,  than  they  closed  behind  them,  and  the 
capital  of  the  Flowery  Kingdom  was  again  isolated 
from  the  outside  world. 

The  driver  asked  no  questions;  he  directed  his 
mule  along  the  inside  wall  for  a  certain  distance, 
then  turned  and  entered  one  of  the  densely  crowded 
thoroughfares  of  the  Chinese  city  and  drew  up 
before  a  tea-house.  Follingsbee  jumped  from  the 
shafts.  It  was  then  that  he  discovered  that  Fen- 
Sha  and  the  beggar  were  no  longer  in  the  cart. 

"What  the  devil  does  it  all  mean? "  he  muttered. 

The  driver  did  not  stop  to  be  paid;  he  whipped 
up  his  mule  and  disappeared  among  a  hundred 
other  blue-topped  carts. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

HOUSE  OF  THE  HENS*  FEATHERS 

FOLLINGSBEE  yelled  after  the  driver,  then 
shrugged  his  shoulders,  recognizing  the  futility  of 
such  a  procedure.  He  looked  up  and  down  the 
street,  where  the  populace  was  still  occupied  with 
the  great  business  of  buying,  bargaining,  and 
selling. 

A  man  brushed  up  against  him ;  he  felt  something 
thrust  into  his  hands;  it  was  a  crumpled  piece  of 
paper;  he  smoothed  it  out  and  read  in  English, 
"Follow  the  lame  beggar  and  wait  outside  the 
door."  The  note  was  signed  with  the  initial 
"F." 

He  seated  himself  by  one  of  the  small  tea-tables 
of  an  outdoor  restaurant.  Near  him  a  young 
dandy  was  sipping  hot  saki.  Follingsbee  ordered 
a  dish  of  poached  eggs  in  chicken  gravy  and  waited 
for  the  lame  beggar.  Acrobats  and  conjurors 
were  plying  their  trade  for  the  amusement  of  the 
rich  patrons  of  the  restaurant;  pedlars  were 
bawling  their  wares.  The  crowds  in  the  street 
increased,  till  it  seemed  impossible  for  carts, 
chairs,  palanquins,  or  pedestrians  to  move,  nor 

340 


House  of  the  Hens'  Feathers        341 

did  they  move  beyond  a  snail's  pace.  The  young 
dandy  near  Follingsbee's  table  grew  boisterous 
over  his  cup  of  hot  saki — it  was  not  the  first  he 
had  enjoyed  that  evening — and  he  added  his 
coarse  jokes  and  oaths  to  the  general  uproar  of 
the  street. 

Follingsbee  had  been  sitting  an  hour  watching 
the  scene  around  him,  almost  forgetting  why  he 
was  there,  when  the  loud  laughter  of  the  tipsy 
dandy  and  obsequious  waiters,  mingling  with  the 
groans  of  someone  who  had  stumbled  or  been 
knocked  down  in  the  crowd  close  to  them,  at 
tracted  his  attention.  He  saw  a  beggar  sprawling 
on  the  ground  and  in  imminent  peril  of  being 
trampled  to  death.  With  a  supreme  effort  the 
beggar  managed  to  squirm  along  till  he  clutched 
hold  of  the  leg  of  Follingsbee's  chair  and  pulled 
himself  up  to  safety.  Then,  with  a  curse  thrown 
at  his  laughing  tormentors,  he  picked  up  his  stick 
and  hobbled  off.  Follingsbee  rose  precipitately 
and  followed  him.  He  had  no  difficulty  in  keeping 
track  of  the  fellow,  for,  though  he  threaded  his 
way  with  astonishing  agility  through  the  crowd, 
he  stopped  every  now  and  again  and  raised  his 
raucous  voice  to  beseech  alms  of  the  charitably 
inclined.  From  one  crowded  street  they  passed 
to  another  and  another,  the  beggar  always  leading, 
Follingsbee  always  following,  though  neither  ex 
changed  a  word  or  appeared  to  notice  the  presence 
of  the  other.  Follingsbee  found  himself  winding 
through  a  labyrinth  of  unfamiliar  alleys,  traversing 


342          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

streets  the  existence  of  which  he  had  never  divined. 
Finally,  the  beggar  stopped  before  a  long,  low, 
one-storied  house  and  knocked  loudly  on  his  clap- 
bowl,  then  upon  the  door.  A  brutal-visaged  man 
opened  the  door;  the  beggar  handed  him  a  small 
cash  and  entered.  The  door  was  instantly  closed 
behind  him  and  Follingsbee  was  left  standing  alone 
outside  and  in  front  of  it.  He  waited,  expecting 
someone  to  appear  and  direct  his  next  steps. 
But  no  one  came.  Apparently  he  was  left  to  shift 
for  himself ;  he  grew  impatient,  then  angry.  What 
did  Fen-Sha  mean  by  leaving  him  without  warning 
and  sending  a  lame  beggar  to  lead  him  a  wild  goose 
chase  through  the  city? 

A  beggar  in  tattered  trousers  and  nude  to  the 
waist,  showing  every  rib  in  his  shrunken  body, 
came  stealthily  around  the  corner.  He  eyed 
Follingsbee  with  something  of  malignant  surprise, 
then  knocking  on  his  clap  bowl  passed  through  the 
door,  which  was  opened  to  admit  him.  A  few 
minutes  later  another  beggar  came  swinging 
himself  along  on  his  stump  of  a  body  with  the  aid 
of  his  flat  monstrous  hands.  He  moved  with 
incredible  swiftness  and  quite  noiselessly.  He, 
too,  disappeared  behind  the  door  of  the  house. 
And  now  Follingsbee  perceived  grotesque  shapes 
crawling  out  from  every  alley,  every  blind  passage 
way  leading  into  the  street. 

He  waited,  bewildered,  motionless,  expectant 
of  something  he  knew  not  what,  but  surely  not  this 
that  he  was  seeing!  He  flattened  himself  against 


House  of  the  Hens'  Feathers       343 

the  embrasure  of  a  closed  shop  and  watched, 
hidden  in  the  protecting  shadow. 

The  shapes  resolved  themselves  into  what  must 
be  called  human  beings,  for  lack  of  any  other  word 
by  which  to  designate  them,  but  human  beings  so 
mutilated,  so  evil  looking,  the  gargoyles  on  med 
ieval  churches  of  Western  Europe  were  less  hideous 
to  the  eye.  Cripples,  hopping  like  gaunt  birds  of 
prey  on  one  leg,  were  leading  blind  creatures  with 
bits  of  rags  attached  to  their  unclean  bodies  like 
dead  flies  to  fly-paper ;  shrivelled  women,  with  faces 
which  long  since  had  lost  all  trace  of  the  feminine, 
dragged  naked,  pot-bellied  children  after  them ;  old 
men,  middle-aged  men ;  young  men  and  boys,  with 
every  conceivable  deformity  and  disease,  swarmed 
silently  past  him  into  the  house.  By  and  by  the 
steady  stream  of  horrid  mendicants  ceased. 

Follingsbee  was  about  to  emerge  from  his  hid 
ing-place,  when  the  sound  of  quick  running  caught 
his  ear.  He  looked  out  in  time  to  see  two  men 
enter  the  house.  One  of  the  men  was  the  beggar 
who  had  been  their  travelling  companion  that 
day.  The  other  was  Fen-Sha.  For  a  brief  space, 
sheer  surprise  kept  him  rooted  to  the  spot.  Then 
he  dashed  after  them  and  knocked  loudly  on  the 
closed  door.  It  was  opened  on  a  crack,  an  evil- 
looking  man  peered  out  at  him.  Follingsbee 
thrust  a  copper  cash  in  his  hand  and  pushing  past 
him  entered  the  house.  For  a  moment  he  felt  the 
impossibility  of  breathing  in  the  foul  atmosphere 
which  struck  him  like  a  blow  in  the  face. 


344         The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

The  spectacle  which  confronted  him  made  him 
ask  himself  whether  he  was  awake  or  sleeping 
through  a  dreadful  nightmare.  He  was  in  an  im 
mense  hall.  A  gigantic  canopy  of  felt  cloth,  dotted 
at  intervals  with  round  holes,  large  enough  to 
admit  a  man's  head,  stretched  over  the  entire  hall 
suspended  from  the  ceiling  by  a  system  of  pulleys. 

On  the  floor  of  the  hall  was  a  thick  carpet  of 
feathers,  filthy  beyond  conception.  Over  this 
strange  carpet,  swarming  like  pestiferous  insects, 
were  all  the  beggars  he  had  seen  entering  the  house 
and  more  that  he  had  not  seen.  It  was  an  orgie  of 
ugliness.  Every  deformity  was  represented,  every 
kind  of  hideous  face  and  evil  expression,  every  stage 
of  starvation  and  disease,  except  the  final  stage, 
the  one  solitary  blessing  that  with  certainty 
awaited  them  all.  The  air  was  as  the  exhalation 
of  a  furnace  fed  with  impurities.  A  horrible  din 
prevailed;  from  every  mouth  issued  a  groan  or 
curse,  a  coarse  jest,  a  vicious  laugh. 

In  this  gathering,  Follingsbee  stood  appalled, 
horror-stricken.  The  ribald  voice  of  a  woman 
near  him  drew  the  attention  of  the  curious  as 
sembly  to  his  presence.  The  woman  spoke  again; 
her  words  were  greeted  with  an  uproarious  burst 
of  laughter  by  the  beggars  near  her.  Those  farther 
off  raised  themselves  from  their  nests  to  determine 
the  cause  of  the  merriment  and  saw  Follingsbee. 
Then,  through  the  foul  sea  of  feathers,  the  beggars 
waded  towards  him;  they  surrounded  him  on  all 
sides,  yelling,  howling,  jeering.  They  pushed  him 


House  of  the  Hens'  Feathers       345 

with  their  stumps  of  bodies,  their  leprous  arms, 
their  skeleton  legs.  They  tore  his  clothes  and 
searched  madly  for  his  money,  for  anything  of 
value  he  might  have  secreted  about  his  person. 
A  diabolical  gaiety  reigned.  Follingsbee  knew 
that  his  life  was  not  worth  one  of  the  filthy  rags  on 
his  tormentors.  He  fought  desperately  at  first, 
then  was  seized  with  such  horror  at  the  feel  of  those 
fleshless  bodies,  those  armless,  legless  stumps  of 
men,  those  shrivelled  women,  he  became  paralyzed, 
incapable  of  voluntary  motion.  Suddenly,  above 
the  uproar  around  him,  sounded  a  trumpet-voice, 
commanding,  menacing.  The  beggars  dropped 
like  leeches  one  by  one  from  him  and  crawled  back 
into  their  nests,  stepping  over  each  other  in  their 
haste  to  be  gone. 

Follingsbee  staggered  against  the  wall,  gasping. 
A  hand  supported  him  and  Fen-Sha  spoke  in  his 
ear.  "Why  did  you  not  wait  outside,  as  I  told 
you?  A  minute  more  and  they  would  have  done 
for  you?" 

"I  thought  they  had  already  done  for  me,'* 
returned  Follingsbee,  trying  to  control  the  quiver 
in  his  voice  and  failing.  "What  is  this  damned 
place  anyway,"  he  asked. 

"The  House  of  the  Hens'  Feathers;  the  hotel  of 
the  Peking  beggars;  the  unemployed  thief;  the 
idle  ragamuffin;  the  meeting  place  of  the  Or 
ganization;  the  Throne  Room  of  the  King  of  the 
Beggars,  who,  by  the  way,  saved  your  life  just 


now." 


346         The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

"Wish  he  had  saved  it  a  little  earlier  in  the  game. 
Let's  get  out  of  here.  A  sewer  smells  sweeter. " 

"You  have  seen  tonight  a  sight  not  to  be  met 
with  anywhere  else  in  the  world, "  continued  Fen- 
Sha. 

"Thank  God  for  that!"  said  Follingsbee  fer 
vently.  And  he  meant  it.  It  seemed  to  him  this 
was  hell  worse  than  any  pictured  by  Dante  or 
drawn  by  Dore. 

"Let's  get  out  of  here, "  he  repeated. 

"I  must  stay,"  replied  Fen-Sha,  "but  there  is 
no  reason  why  you  should  remain. " 

Follingsbee  pulled  himself  together.  "If  you 
stay,  so  will  I,"  he  declared.  In  vain  Fen-Sha 
urged  him  not  to  linger  in  the  place;  he  was  as 
eager  now  to  remain  as  he  had  been  to  leave. 

"As  you  will,"  said  Fen-Sha.  "The  King  of 
the  Beggars  will  harangue  his  people  as  soon  as  the 
hall  is  filled." 

"Filled ! "  exclaimed  Follingsbee.  " Good  Lord ! 
what  do  you  call  it  now?"  And  for  the  moment  he 
was  again  overpowered  by  the  horror  of  the  scene. 

' '  What  made  you  come  here?  "  he  asked ;  "  surely 
you  could  have  found  a  hiding-place  as  safe  in 
Peking  and  more  decent — less  rank  than  this"; 
he  waved  his  hand  disgustedly. 

"It  was  not  for  myself  I  came,"  answered  Fen- 
Sha  quietly. 

"For  whom,  then?" 

"For  A-lu-te." 

"A-lu-te!"  cried  Follingsbee;  "is  she  here?" 


House  of  the  Hens'  Feathers       347 

"I  wish  with  all  my  heart  she  were,"  said  Fen- 
Sha.  "  Under  the  protection  of  the  King  of  the 
Beggars,  she  would  be  safer  here  by  far,  than  where 
she  now  is." 

"Where  is  she?"  asked  Follingsbee.  He  could 
not  conceive  of  a  place  more  horrible  for  the  gentle 
nurtured,  delicate  young  Manchu  girl  to  be  in 
than  the  House  of  the  Hens'  Feathers. 

"She  escaped  from  the  Summer  Palace  and, 
dressed  as  a  peasant  boy,  reached  in  safety  the 
village  of  Yang-lin,  six  Us  from  Peking.  She  took 
refuge  for  the  night  in  an  inn  there,  where  Li  Lien 
Ying,  the  Chief  Eunuch, — curse  his  snake's  hide,^- 
or  one  of  his  henchmen  found  her  and  carried  her 
off  to  a  house  he  owns  in  the  village.  She  is  there, 
held  a  prisoner  by  him ;  whether  she  is  now  alive  or 
dead  is  not  known. " 

"How  did  you  learn  all  this?" 

"Through  the  King  of  the  Beggars.  He  ques 
tioned  his  ragged  subjects.  Few  things  occur  in 
Peking,  or  in  the  environments,  which  are  not 
known  to  the  members  of  the  Organization.  They 
hear  the  gossip  of  the  street,  they  listen  around  tea 
houses,  in  opium  dens,  in  gambling  houses,  around 
shops  and  private  dwellings  and  outside  of  Yamens 
and  on  the  highroads  beyond  the  city  walls,  and 
in  the  outlying  villages.  Amongst  them,  they 
gather  all  the  news  and  all  the  secrets  that  are 
whispered  about.  He,  whose  authority  they  re 
cognize,  can  obtain  from  them  all  the  information 
they  possess  and  much  of  it  is  valuable,  not  only 


348          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

to  private  individuals,  but  even  to  the  State.  It 
was  through  them  the  King  obtained  the  informa 
tion  of  A-lu-te's  whereabouts." 

"Then  why  are  we  staying  here?  There  is  no 
time  to  lose — we  should  be  even  now  on  our  way 
to  Yang-lin  to  rescue  A-lu-te. " 

"  You  and  I  can  do  nothing, "  returned  Fen-Sha. 

Follingsbee  looked  at  him  indignantly.  "Do 
you  intend  to  leave  her  in  the  hands  of  that  brute 
without  making  an  attempt  to  save  her?"  he 
asked. 

"  I  have  done  all  in  my  power,  for  the  present, " 
he  answered  quietly. 

Follingsbee  was  frankly  contemptuous  as  well  as 
bitterly  disappointed  in  his  friend.  He  had  not 
supposed  him  capable  of  such  cowardly  inaction 
and  told  him  so. 

1 '  Inaction ! ' '  said  Fen-Sha.  ' '  I  don't  know  about 
that.  It  remains  first  to  be  seen  what  these  people 
can  do  for  her." 

"These  beggars!  Have  you  then  lost  your  wits 
entirely?"  he  asked,  and  regretted  the  words  as 
soon  as  they  were  spoken.  He  believed  the  young 
reformer's  suffering  and  long-endured  suspense 
had  in  truth  affected  his  mind.  Perhaps  Fen-Sha 
divined  his  thoughts,  for  he  said  with  a  curious 
little  smile,  "Wait — in  a  few  minutes  you  will 
understand.  The  King  is  ordering  the  doors 
locked — he  is  going  to  address  his  people." 

Follingsbee  was  not  without  keen  curiosity  to 
see  this  man  who  called  himself  King  of  the  Beggars 


House  of  the  Hens'  Feathers       349 

and  was  acknowledged  as  such,  not  only  by  the 
horde  of  mendicants,  but,  as  he  afterwards  learnt, 
by  the  State  itself. 

He  saw,  at  the  farther  end  of  the  great  hall,  a 
man  swing  himself  to  a  seat  made  of  a  small  plank 
fastened  to  the  wall  some  four  feet  above  the  floor. 

A  clap-bowl  was  on  his  head  by  way  of  a  crown; 
his  rags  were  no  worse  and  no  less  than  those  of  his 
subjects;  but  his  face  showed  a  mixture  of  crafty 
intelligence  and  insolent  pride  not  seen  in  theirs. 
On  closer  inspection  Follingsbee  saw  that  he  was 
eyeless;  the  sockets  where  his  eyes  should  have 
been  were  two  empty  black  holes;  he  was  terrible 
to  look  upon  and  more  horrible  than  the  wretches 
who  acknowledged  his  sway.  Near  him  stood  the 
beggar  who  had  accompanied  Fen-Sha  and  Fol 
lingsbee  to  Peking. 

"That's  his  son,"  whispered  Fen-Sha.  "When 
you  rescued  him  from  the  cangue  that  night,  you 
gained  for  us  the  friendship  of  the  King — it  is 
to  that  fact  you  owe  your  life  tonight,  and  I  the 
information  about  A-lu-te  and  it  may  be  something 
more." 

"What?"  asked  Follingsbee,  curiously. 

"Hush!     He  is  speaking." 

The  loud  gabble  of  voices  around  them  ceased 
suddenly.  The  beggars  sat  up  in  their  various 
nests  and  listened  to  their  King.  He  addressed 
them  in  a  language  even  Fen-Sha,  who  could 
speak  most  of  the  dialects  of  the  North  and  South, 
could  not  understand.  His  speech  was  long  and 


350          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

seemed  to  create  the  utmost  excitement  in  his 
audience.  He  was  interrupted  every  now  and 
again  with  fierce  shouts  and  loud  applause;  the 
beggars  shook  their  fists,  or  mutilated  stumps 
where  their  fists  should  have  been;  crutches  were 
waved  and  sticks;  bandaged  heads  were  wagged 
and  bandaged  legs  stamped  through  the  feathers 
on  the  floor,  making  the  foul  air  fouler  from  the 
cloud  of  dust  and  dirt  that  rose. 

The  King  appeared  satisfied  with  the  effect  of  his 
harangue.  He  let  himself  down  from  his  perch 
and  a  few  minutes  later  was  wading  through  the 
feathers,  stepping  over  and  frequently  on  the  forms 
of  his  subjects  squirming  like  caterpillars  on  the 
floor,  till  he  reached  Fen-Sha  and  Follingsbee.  ' l  Is 
it  well?"  asked  Fen-Sha  eagerly  as  he  stopped 
before  them. 

"  It  is  well,"  replied  the  King.  "  At  the  hour  of 
the  ox  when  the  city  gates  are  opened,  all  my 
people,  men  and  women,  the  old,  the  young,  the 
lame,  the  blind,  the  deaf,  the  dumb,  the  sick,  the 
well — for  of  these  last  there  are  a  few,"  he  added 
cynically — "will  sally  forth  to  invade  Yang-lin. 
Now  answer  me,  you  who  saved  my  son — are  you 
content  with  the  keeping  of  my  promise?" 

"Can  I  tell  yet?  I  will  wait  and  see,  for  I  go 
with  you  when  you  set  out  for  Yang-lin,"  replied 
Fen-Sha. 

"Then,  have  a  care  that  you  do  not  interfere  in 
what  does  not  concern  you — my  protection  would 
avail  you  nothing  in  that  case,  even  if  I  chose  to 


House  of  the  Hens'  Feathers       351 

extend  it,  which  is  doubtful.  The  hour  is  theirs — 
I  have  given  it  to  them — if  the  people  of  Yang-lin 
come  not  to  terms. " 

With  that  he  turned  and  left  them. 

Fen-Sha  seized  Follingsbee  by  the  hand.  ' '  Come, 
we  will  leave  the  House  of  the  Hens'  Feathers  now; 
my  mission  here  is  over. " 

It  was  with  a  deep  sigh  of  relief  that  Follingsbee 
turned  his  back  on  the  mass  of  degraded  creatures, 
settling  themselves  down  into  their  nests  of  feath 
ers.  The  huge  felt  canopy,  their  bed  covering, 
was  being  slowly  lowered.  The  two  young  men 
hurried  out  to  avoid  contact  with  it.  On  the 
street  they  drew  deep  breaths  of  the  fresh  night 
air — Follingsbee  had  a  conviction  that  nothing 
short  of  an  internal  scrubbing  with  disinfectants 
would  cleanse  his  lungs  again. 

Fen-Sha  told  him  of  the  beggars'  plan.  They 
intended  going  on  one  of  their  periodical  raids  in 
the  country — a  privilege  accorded  them  for  cen 
turies  past — and,  by  their  locustlike  depredations, 
so  pester  and  frighten  the  inhabitants  of  Yang- 
lin  that  the  headman  of  the  place  would  appear 
before  their  King  and  arrange  terms  by  which  the 
village  would  be  freed  from  their  devastating 
presence. 

In  this  case  they  would  demand  neither  money, 
food,  or  clothing,  but  the  delivery  of  A-lu-te  into 
their  hands.  They  would  claim  her,  not  as  a 
hostage  or  victim,  for  such  was  not  their  custom, 
but  as  one  entitled  to  the  protection  of  the  frater- 


352         The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

nity.  They  would  promise  that  if,  when  the  girl 
was  brought  before  them,  she  chose  not  to  ac 
company  them,  preferring  instead  to  remain  in 
durance,  they  would  retire  without  protest  and 
quietly.  This  was  their  plan  of  campaign ;  whether 
it  would  prove  successful  or  not  remained  to  be 
seen. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 


THE  BEGGARS'  RAID 


THE  two  young  men  repaired  to  Follingsbee's 
rooms  to  await  the  hour  of  the  opening  of  the  city 
gates.  As  the  time  drew  near  they  slipped  out 
and  made  their  way  to  the  Shih  Che  Men — the 
North-West  Gate.  The  streets  were  deserted, 
or  rather  they  appeared  to  be,  for,  when  the  huge 
gates  were  thrown  wide  to  permit  the  outside 
world  entrance  to  the  capital,  the  streets  suddenly 
became  alive  with  a  grotesque  horde  of  creatures, 
rickety,  decrepit,  stunted,  who  ran,  limped,  crawled, 
and  hopped,  or  glided  like  reptiles,  toward  the 
gates.  They  came  from  every  direction.  The 
guards  slunk  back  and  made  no  effort  to  interfere, 
— they  knew  better  than  that,  possessing,  as  they 
did,  a  liking  for  a  whole  skin  and  a  preference  for  a 
natural  death. 

The  Shih  Che  Men  closed  again.  Along  the 
outside  walls  on  either  side  flowed  two  similar 
streams  to  join  the  one  which  had  just  issued  from 
the  North-West  Gate.  These  three  streams 
mingled  in  one  great  whole,  forming  a  river  which 
overflowed  the  highway  and  bore  Follingsbee  and 
23  353 


354          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

Fen-Sha  along  in  its  current.  Swiftly,  silently, 
sullenly,  it  moved,  carrying  with  it  everything 
encountered  on  its  course.  Fortunately  for  the 
public  the  hour  was  not  one  in  which  people  went 
abroad;  the  few  who  were  out,  seeing  the  horrible 
river  bearing  down  upon  them,  sought  refuge  in  the 
fields  or  off  the  highroad  anywhere  to  safety. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  village  Yang-lin,  like 
most  country  folk,  were  matutinal.  They  had 
eaten  their  early  rice ;  their  shops  were  open  and  the 
workers  were  going  about  the  business  of  the  day. 
An  itinerant  mender  of  broken  jars  was  the  first 
to  see  the  approaching  danger.  He  had  spent  the 
night  in  a  house  at  the  end  of  the  village,  and  was 
starting  on  his  rounds  for  the  day  singing  in  high, 
falsetto  voice  to  attract  customers:  "Bowls 
mended,  jars  and  pots  repaired,  every  hole  drilled 
carefully;  plates  made  new  again." 

The  cry  died  on  his  lips  as  the  sullen  roar  of  the 
fast-flowing  stream  reached  him.  He  cast  one 
frightened  glance  behind  him,  then  fled  down  the 
village  street  shouting  with  all  the  strength  of  his 
lungs,  which  were  sound  ones,  "The  beggars  have 
come !  The  beggars  have  come ! ' ' 

Fast  as  he  ran,  the  stream  flowed  faster. 

The  people  who  were  abroad  were  caught  in  the 
horrible  current  which  soon  filled  every  nook  and 
corner  of  the  street.  The  truckling  fear  of  those 
who  were  caught  excited  the  malicious  glee  of  the 
beggars.  This  was  their  day.  They  whined  their 
mendicant  cry  of,  "  Alms,  alms  for  the  poor — alms 


The  Beggars'  Raid  355 

for  the  starving,"  with  a  note  that  threatened 
perceptible  in  the  whine.  No  one  thought  of 
resistance.  Strings  of  cash  appeared  from  the 
pockets  of  the  well-to-do  and  were  transferred  to 
the  rags  of  the  beggars,  to  be  later  handed  over  to 
their  King  for  distribution,  every  subject  receiving 
his  share  of  the  spoils.  The  villagers  who  had  no 
cash  about  them  were  shorn  of  their  hats,  and  their 
coats  were  made  to  adorn  the  shoulders  of  some 
skeleton  scarecrow.  A  few  men  tried  to  slink  off 
home,  to  wait  behind  closed  windows  and  barred 
doors  till  the  beggars  had  gone.  They  were 
quickly  held  in  their  places  by  naked  skinny  arms, 
or  tripped  up  by  bony  legs,  and  sprawling  on  the 
ground  made  to  stay  where  they  had  fallen. 

Women  screamed,  children  whimpered,  too 
frightened  to  cry  aloud,  and  hid  their  little  heads  in 
the  folds  of  their  parents'  gowns.  Indeed,  the 
spectacle  offered  to  their  childish  eyes  was  so 
terrible,  even  their  elders  had  no  words  of  comfort 
or  assurance  to  give  them. 

The  beggars  were  armed  with  sticks,  crutches, 
broken  knives,  stones,  with  everything  in  fact 
wherewith  a  beggar  could  arm  himself.  A  few 
had  hatchets  and  pitchforks  stolen  that  morning 
from  workmen  encountered  on  the  road. 

In  the  midst  of  the  uproar  the  trumpet  voice  of 
the  King  was  heard,  shouting  for  silence.  The 
effect  was  instantaneous,  complete  quiet  prevailed. 
Only  one  old  woman  shrieked  again.  A  filthy 
hand  was  clapped  upon  her  mouth.  "You  gap- 


356         The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

toothed  old  beldame,  didn't  you  hear  the  order  to 
be  silent?" 

"Perhaps  she's  deaf  and  can  only  feel,"  said 
another  and  beat  her  over  the  head  with  his  crutch. 

The  King  was  lifted  on  the  shoulders  of  his  sub 
jects.  He  sat  on  his  human  throne  with  a  savage, 
insolent  mien,  a  monstrous  spectacle,  an  evil  thing 
perched  in  the  air.  His  black  empty  sockets 
looked  like  burnt-out  craters  and  gave  to  his  face 
more  than  ever  that  day  a  demoniacal  expression. 
" People  of  Yang-lin,"  he  shouted,  "we  are  the 
yeast  that  ferments  hell  in  your  village.  If  ye 
would  escape  my  army  which  spares  nothing,  which 
takes  everything,  from  the  bead-string  off  the  soft 
neck  of  your  infants,  to  the  clothes  on  the  back  of 
your  women,  and  the  last  cash  in  the  strong-box 
of  your  shops,  then  listen  to  my  terms. " 

"The  terms!  the  terms!  Let  us  hear  them. 
We  promise  to  agree!"  cried  the  villagers  in  the 
streets. 

"Fools!"  returned  the  King  scornfully.  "Do 
you  think  I  deal  with  such  as  you?  What  are  your 
promises  worth  ?  Call  a  meeting  of  the  headmen  of 
the  village  instantly. "  Again  they  agreed.  The 
King  deputed  a  guard  to  accompany  the  villagers 
sent  to  summon  the  headmen. 

The  Inn  of  Peace  and  Security  was  decided  upon 
as  the  place  where  the  conference  should  be  held. 
We  have  already  made  acquaintance  with  this 
inn;  it  was  here  where  the  Tartar  wife  of  the 
Chinese  innkeeper  had  given  shelter  to  A-lu-te 


The  Beggars'  Raid  357 

and  where  Ho-Shu  found  her  hiding,  flattened  like 
a  yam-cake  under  a  piece  of  matting. 

The  village  headmen  answered  the  King's  sum 
mons  reluctantly,  but  determined  to  make  the  best 
possible  bargain  with  him.  If  the  sum  of  money 
demanded  of  them  proved  too  outrageously  large, 
they  would  dispute  the  matter  long  and  fiercely, 
though  they  well  knew  that  in  the  end  the  beggars 
would  not  be  denied.  Their  surprise  was  great 
when  they  learnt  from  the  King  the  nature  of  his 
terms,  which  included  neither  money,  food,  nor 
clothing,  but  the  giving  into  his  hands  of  a  young 
Manchu  woman,  who,  as  they  all  knew,  was  caught 
and  imprisoned  in  their  village  by  order  of  the 
powerful  Chief  Eunuch,  Li  Lien  Ying. 

They  were  aghast  and  knew  not  what  to  do; 
they  were  between  two  fires.  They  feared  to 
rouse  against  their  village  the  terrible  wrath  of  the 
great  eunuch  and  they  feared  the  vengeance  of  the 
beggars  if  their  demands  were  refused.  In  this 
dilemma  they  made  an  offer  to  the  King  of  a  large 
sum  of  money,  a  sum  they  knew  to  be  greater  than 
any  he  had  ever  obtained  from  villages  in  that 
neighbourhood. 

It  was  a  tempting  bait,  but  failed  of  its  purpose. 
The  big,  black  sockets  in  the  face  of  the  King 
looked  bigger  and  blacker  than  ever;  one  of  the 
headmen  declared  later  that  he  saw  fire  smoulder 
ing  in  the  gloomy  depths  of  these  ugly  holes  and 
expected  every  minute  to  see  flames  spring  forth 
to  burn  up  every  man  jack  of  them. 


358         The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

The  King  smote  the  table  with  his  horny  hands 
and  roared,  "I  have  told  you  my  terms — agree  to 
them  or  not  as  you  wish,  but  remember  this,  if 
you  fail  to  deliver  up  the  woman  to  me,  my  army 
will  encamp  here;  I  will  make  the  village  of 
Yang-lin  my  headquarters  for  three  months  to 
come. " 

The  headmen  conferred  together.  A  more 
dreadful  threat  they  could  not  conceive  of;  it 
were  almost  better  to  leave  their  homes  at  once, 
leave  them  in  the  hands  of  the  beggars,  together 
with  all  their  possessions,  and  begin  life  over 
again  elsewhere.  For  what  would  their  existence 
be  worth  with  such  an  army  encamped  at  their 
door?  Nothing!  Absolutely  nothing!  And, 
after  all,  what  right  had  the  palace  eunuch  to  make 
use  of  their  village  as  a  prison  for  an  escaped  con 
cubine?  If  the  beggars  wanted  the  woman,  and 
if  she  were  willing — incredible  as  it  seemed — to  go 
with  them,  why,  then,  in  Buddha's  name,  let 
them  have  her. 

This  decision  having  been  reached,  the  headmen 
conducted  the  King  and  his  army  to  a  house  on  the 
outskirts  of  the  village  facing  the  hills.  This 
house  was  owned  by  the  Chief  Eunuch.  No  one 
in  the  village  had  ever  crossed  its  threshold. 
Many  stories  were  told  in  whispers — for  the 
villagers'  fear  of  the  eunuch  was  great — of  the 
orgies  which  took  place  periodically  behind  those 
walls,  and  of  dark  deeds,  tortures,  and  crimes  un 
speakable.  The  village  maids  and  young  women 


The  Beggars'  Raid  359 

had  such  fear  of  the  house  and  its  near  neighbour 
hood  that  they  never  passed  it  unless  accompanied 
by  brothers,  fathers,  or  husbands  and  even  then 
they  trembled  with  apprehension  of  some  dreadful 
danger  which  might  befall  them. 

Now,  when  it  became  known  that  the  beggars' 
demand  was  not  money,  but  the  deliverance  of  an 
imperial  concubine  held  prisoner  in  the  house  of  the 
Chief  Eunuch,  the  villagers  were  filled  with  amaze 
ment,  also  they  were  vastly  relieved,  not  sharing 
their  headmen's  dark  forebodings.  Men  and 
boys,  women,  girls,  and  children,  prompted  by 
curiosity  to  penetrate  the  mystery  of  this  house, 
followed  in  the  procession. 

Fen-Sha  and  Follingsbee  had  remained  unob 
trusively  in  the  background,  but  kept  themselves 
informed  of  the  progress  of  the  negotiations  in  the 
Inn  of  Peace  and  Security,  and,  when  the  strange 
army  began  to  move  upon  the  Chief  Eunuch's 
house,  in  the  western  outskirts  of  the  village,  they 
made  their  way  to  the  front,  keeping  close  to  the 
King  and  his  guides. 

The  house  was  surrounded  by  high  brick  walls. 
The  gates  were  closed  and  barred.  The  village 
headmen  advanced  and  knocked  loudly  upon  the 
wooden  panels.  A  slide  was  opened  and  a  tingi 
(gate-keeper),  with  official  hat  upon  his  head, 
peered  out. 

"What  do  you  want?"  he  inquired  gruffly. 
But  when  he  saw  the  horde  of  beggars  behind  the 
headmen,  he  slammed  the  slide  shut,  nor  would 


360          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

repeated  knockings  and  loud  commands  induce 
him  to  open  it  again. 

''You  perceive  we  are  powerless;  we  can  do 
nothing.  He  won't  admit  us  if  we  knock  here  all 
day, "  said  the  headmen  addressing  the  King. 

"Well,  stand  there  and  knock  till  I  tell  you  to 
stop,"  replied  the  King,  coolly. 

They  thought  it  best  to  obey  and  fell  to  pound 
ing  on  the  gates  again  with  great  vigour. 

But,  in  the  meanwhile,  the  King  motioned  to  his 
army.  The  beggars  appeared  to  understand. 
Without  a  word  they  approached  the  wall;  the 
first  comers  crouched  down;  those  behind  them 
got  on  the  backs  thus  offered  and  scrambled  like 
monkeys  to  the  top  of  the  wall,  from  which  point 
they  aided  their  less  agile  companions  to  mount. 

Before  many  minutes  had  passed  and  while  the 
tingi  was  yet  cynically  listening  to  the  loud  banging 
on  the  gate,  the  wall  above  his  head  was  swarm 
ing  with  a  ragged  mass  of  human  beings.  Sud 
denly  he  looked  up.  He  gave  a  shout  of  alarm. 
Servants  ran  from  the  house  into  the  court,  then 
ran  back  again  to  procure  weapons  with  which  to 
drive  the  strange  invaders  from  the  walls. 

They  were  not  quick  enough.  The  beggars 
dropped  like  a  swarm  of  locusts  into  the  court,  and 
driving  the  frightened  tingi  from  his  post,  threw 
open  the  gates. 

The  remainder  of  the  ragged  battalion,  headed  by 
the  King,  rushed  in.  The  frightened  villagers  did 
not  follow.  By  this  time  the  servants  had  col- 


The  Beggars'  Raid  361 

lected  their  wits  and  their  weapons ;  they  prepared 
to  attack  the  invaders.  They  were  greeted  with 
fearful  yells,  curses,  and  grimaces.  Before  they 
could  do  more  than  strike  down  those  nearest 
them,  they  were  fairly  crawled  over  and  upon,  as 
if  by  a  horde  of  insects.  The  beggars  twined  them 
selves  about  their  opponents'  bodies,  biting  with 
cracked  and  yellow  teeth,  pinching  with  black, 
scarred,  and  horrid  fingers;  they  were  like  scorpions, 
centipedes,  poisonous  spiders.  The  servants  fought 
valiantly  to  free  themselves  and  called  upon  the 
villagers  crowded  near  the  gates  to  come  to  their 
assistance.  Not  a  man  of  Yang-lin  moved.  The 
house,  the  owner,  and  his  servants  bore  an  evil 
name;  besides  it  were  better  in  their  opinion  that 
the  beggars  should  vent  their  spiteful  rage  here 
than  in  the  village. 

Fen-Sha  and  Follingsbee  had  been  among  the 
first  to  scale  the  wall  and  drop  into  the  court; 
they  left  the  beggars  to  their  fighting  and  suc 
ceeded  in  entering  the  house.  They  found  them 
selves  in  a  magnificent  apartment — not  even  the 
Empress  Dowager  in  her  Summer  Palace  could 
boast  of  possessing  one  more  beautiful.  It  was 
spacious  and  lofty ;  arches  of  rare  wood,  exquisitely 
carved,  so  delicate,  so  open,  they  seemed  like  lace, 
were  lined  with  apricot  silk;  for  here  Cobbler's 
Wax  Li  had  arrogated  to  himself  the  right  to  use 
the  imperial  colour.  On  the  walls  hung  wonder 
fully  embroidered  panels  and  rare  paintings,  soft 
rugs,  in  subdued  rich  shades,  covered  the  tiled 


362          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

floor,  and  everywhere  were  antique  bronzes,  cloi 
sonne  vases  and  urns  in  which  seemed  to  grow 
flowering  jade  pomegranate  and  orange  trees  and 
shrubs  of  fantastic  shape,  yet  which  were  not 
displeasing  to  the  eye.  Not  a  soul  was  in  the 
apartment.  As  Fen-Sha  and  Follingsbee  stood 
for  a  moment  irresolute,  they  saw  a  curtain  at  the 
farther  end  of  the  room  moved  slightly  by  some 
hand  upon  the  other  side.  Simultaneously  they 
rushed  towards  it  and  jerked  the  curtain  open. 
A  half  dozen  young  women,  painted  red  and  white 
and  gorgeously  attired,  screamed  and  fled  like 
butterflies  the  length  of  the  room.  The  two  men 
went  in  hot  pursuit  to  intercept  their  flight,  at  the 
same  time  beseeching  them  not  to  be  alarmed  as  no 
harm  was  intended  them.  The  young  men  were 
relieved  to  find  their  assurance  calmed  the  little 
ladies,  for  they  stopped,  turned,  and  faced  their 
pursuers.  They  looked  at  them  demurely,  then 
coquettishly  and  began  to  titter.  Fen-Sha  scanned 
their  faces  eagerly;  A-lu-te's  was  not  among  their 
number. 

"What  do  our  Lords  require  of  us?"  asked  the 
prettiest  in  the  bunch,  casting  down  her  eyes,  and 
glancing  swiftly  up  again  in  a  manner  meant  to  be 
provocative. 

"Who  are  you?"  asked  Fen-Sha. 

They  tittered  and  did  not  answer.  Fen-Sha 
frowned. 

"I  am  in  no  mood  to  joke  and  play  with  you. 
Answer  my  questions  and  you  will  not  be  harmed, 


The  Beggar's  Raid  363 

refuse  and  I  call  in  the  beggars  out  there  in  the 
court. "  His  tone  admitted  of  no  doubt  as  to  the 
seriousness  of  the  threat. 

The  painted  dolls  ceased  tittering,  ceased  ogling; 
they  looked  alarmed. 

"My  Lord,"  said  the  prettiest  one  again,  "I 
will  answer  as  best  I  can.  We  belong  to  the  house 
hold  of  the  great  Chamberlain,  Li  Lien  Ying, 
who  comes  here  for  rest  and  recreation  from  his 
arduous  duties  of  state. " 

She  tried  to  impart,  both  in  speech  and  manner, 
an  impression  of  honour  and  dignity  to  the  position 
they  occupied  in  the  place.  But  Fen-Sha's  look 
of  scorn,  and  the  pity  and  contempt  pictured  on 
the  face  of  Follingsbee,  had  the  effect  of  humiliat 
ing  and  angering  her.  "And,"  she  continued 
shrilly,  "you  must  leave  here  instantly,  taking 
with  you  the  monkey-face  horde  you  came  with. 
I  saw  you  on  the  wall  with  the  creatures  command 
ing,  directing  them.  The  Lord  of  Nine  Thousand 
Years  shall  be  informed  and  do  not  doubt  but  that 
he  will  avenge  the  insult  of  your  presence  in  his 
house.  Even  now  he  is  on  his  way  here.  May  he 
have  your  bones  splintered,  your  flesh  made 
jelly!" 

Fen-Sha  ignored  her  agreeable  wishes.  "Are 
there  any  other  women  in  the  house?"  he  asked 
sharply. 

The  painted,  doll-like  faces  looked  at  each  other 
and  maintained  silence. 

"Answer, "  said  Fen-Sha,  striding  towards  them. 


364         The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

They  retreated  hurriedly,  still  silent.  He  seized 
one  of  them — she  who  had  spoken — by  the  arm 
and  dragged  her  towards  the  first  apartment.  "  It 
may  be  the  beggars  can  make  you  speak,"  he 
said  grimly. 

She  eluded  his  grasp  and  fell  on  her  knees, 
trembling  now  with  fear.  "  Do  not  hand  me  over 
to  them,  my  Lord.  I  will  answer  all  your  ques 
tions,  I  will  tell  you  everything  I  know." 

4 'See  to  it  that  you  speak  the  truth  then,"  re 
plied  Fen-Sha  in  a  harsh  voice.  "Was  a  young 
Manchu  lady  brought  into  this  house  two  nights 
ago?" 

"No,  my  Lord." 

"You  lie — I  go  to  summon  the  beggars, "  and  he 
made  two  strides  towards  the  door. 

She  called  in  terror  after  him,  "Wait,  wait,  my 
Lord ;  I  did  lie,  for,  though  it  appeared  to  be  a  youth 
whom  Ho-Shu,  the  eunuch,  brought  here  the  other 
night,  tied  hand  and  feet,  yet  we  know  her  to  be  a 
woman.  We  were  peering  out  when  he  came  and 
we  saw  her  face — it  was  the  face  of  a  woman. " 

"Where  is  she?  Quick — answer!  If  you  lie 
again  I'll  show  no  mercy,  nor  the  beggars  neither. " 

"My  Lord,  I  cannot  tell  you  where  she  is,  for  I 
do  not  know.  When  Ho-Shu  carried  her — she  was 
as  one  dead — we  watched  him  pass  into  the  garden 
and  disappear.  We  dared  not  follow,  but,  by  and 
by,  he  came  back — alone.  He  said  the  Lord  of 
Nine  Thousand  Years  would  be  here  today,  and 
if  we  pried  where  we  had  no  business  to  pry  in  the 


The  Beggars'  Raid  365 

garden,  he  would  find  it  out  and  punish  us  severely. 
Oh,  my  Lord,  my  Lord,  let  him  not  know  that  I 
have  told  you — he  would  kill  me  in  his  wrath. " 

"Have  no  fear — if  he  comes,  'tis  I  who  will  do 
the  killing — not  he. "  There  was  ferociousness  in 
Fen-Sha's  voice  and  face.  Even  the  woman, 
though  she  felt  relieved,  recoiled  from  him  fright 
ened,  while  the  five  fluttering  butterflies,  clinging 
to  one  another  in  the  far  corner,  screamed  again. 
But  Fen-Sha  paid  no  heed  to  them,  nor  to  the 
increasing  clamour  in  the  court.  He  tore  open 
a  window  and  sprang  into  the  garden.  Follings- 
bee  had  been  a  silent  spectator  to  this  scene,  yet 
had  kept  his  eyes  and  ears  alert,  lest  the  servants, 
fighting  outside,  heard  the  women  scream  and 
returned  to  their  assistance.  He  gave  one  swift 
parting  glance  towards  the  door,  then  jumped  from 
the  window  to  follow  Fen-Sha. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

THE   GAMBLERS 

THE  Chinese  have  a  proverb  which  reads,  "The 
dog  in  the  kennel  barks  at  his  fleas,  but  the  dog 
who  is  hunting  does  not  feel  them. " 

The  half -starved,  maimed  beggars  did  not  feel 
their  infirmities,  did  not  heed  the  whips  and 
weapons  of  the  servants  frantically  striving  to 
force  them  back  as  they  penetrated  into  the  hand 
some  apartments  of  Li  Lien  Ying's  villa.  The 
women,  whom  Fen-Sha  and  Follingsbee  had  just 
left,  fled  shrieking  from  the  room  as  the  beggars 
entered.  No  one  pursued  them.  What  did  they 
care  for  women  when,  for  the  picking  up,  they  had 
their  choice  of  splendid  treasures?  They  shouted 
with  wonder,  greed,  and  delight.  The  servants 
did  not  attempt  to  stop  their  depredations;  they 
were  rushing  to  the  protection  of  the  women  and 
vanished  with  them  in  a  distant  part  of  the  house, 
where  they  listened,  stupid  with  fear,  to  the  con 
fused  tumult  of  the  beggars.  These,  intoxicated 
with  their  easy  victory,  and  the  promised  satis 
faction  of  their  greed,  fell  upon  the  silk  embroid 
ered  curtains,  tore  them  down  and  wrapped  them 

366  _ 


The  Gamblers  367 

about  their  rags,  or  made  receptacles  of  them  to 
hold  the  gold  and  silver  vases,  the  miniature  trees 
and  flowers  of  jade,  exquisite  in  design,  colour,  and 
carving.  They  picked  out  the  jewels  in  the  inlaid 
cabinets  and  tables  with  sharpened  points  of 
sticks  or  with  their  ringer  nails.  They  seized  the 
priceless  panel  paintings  which  adorned  the  walls — 
paintings  of  great  artists  in  the  Tang  dynasty  when 
France  was  still  a  country  of  barbarians,  and  the 
Druids  dwelt  yet  in  the  British  Isles.  They  broke 
into  thousands  of  fragments  the  beautiful  haw 
thorn  ginger- jars,  the  rose-coloured,  translucent 
egg-shell  vases,  in  their  fury  to  seize  them.  The 
rooms  echoed  with  shouts  of  triumph,  yells  of  rage 
over  disputed  possessions,  and  with  wild  discordant 
laughter.  Then  the  dreadful  torrent,  leaving  ruin 
in  its  wake,  swept  out  through  the  courtyard  into 
the  highroad,  where  the  villagers,  afraid  to  follow 
them  into  the  house,  had  withdrawn  to  await  the 
next  scene  in  the  drama. 

They  squatted  in  the  dust  of  the  road  and  soon 
became  absorbed  in  an  occupation  even  more 
congenial  to  them  than  looting.  They  gambled, 
staking  their  newly  acquired  possessions  against 
the  money  of  the  villagers.  The  largest  group  was 
gathered  around  the  King.  This  personage  was 
seated  on  a  magnificent  cloisonne  urn;  nothing 
could  be  seen  of  him  but  his  hideous  face  peering 
above  the  urn  and  his  half  naked  legs  hanging  over 
the  sides. 

Excitement  in  the  group  around  him  was  run- 


368          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

ning  high.  A  village  gamester,  who  had  already 
lost  all  his  money  to  the  King  in  the  gambling 
bout  between  them,  even  the  clothes  upon  his 
back,  stood  stripped  to  the  skin  while  the  King 
fantastically  draped  the  garments  he  had  won 
about  his  head  like  a  huge  turban  and  shouted  for  a 
man  to  approach  with  something  to  stake.  The 
nude  gamester  protested  angrily  that  he  would 
play  again  and  that  this  time  he  would  win. 

"Huh!"  jeered  the  beggars,  "  what  have  you  left 
to  stake?" 

"The  forefinger  of  my  right  hand  against  all 
this, "  replied  the  fellow  coolly,  indicating  the  loot 
at  the  King's  side. 

At  this  announcement  the  King's  mouth  opened 
wide  in  a  laugh  of  ferocious  merriment.  The  news 
spread  among  the  other  groups,  that  a  man,  having 
nothing  left  to  gamble,  was  going  to  stake  his 
finger  against  the  King's  share  of  loot. 

Beggars,  and  villagers,  crowded  around  the  two 
principal  players,  pushing,  laughing,  cursing, 
intent  upon  obtaining  a  near  view  of  this  exciting 
game.  In  the  meanwhile  preparations  were  made 
for  the  play.  A  free  circle  was  formed  by  crowding 
back  the  excited  throng  and  in  the  centre  a  small 
fire  was  lighted.  Beside  the  fire  a  broken  knife 
was  laid  which  the  King  had  previously  ordered  one 
of  his  beggar  knaves  to  carefully  sharpen  upon  a 
stone.  Then  the  dice-throwing  began.  The  spec 
tators  in  the  rear  pushed  those  in  front,  and  craned 
their  necks,  and  stood  on  tiptoe  in  efforts  to  see. 


The  Gamblers  369 

A  few  minutes  of  partial  silence  reigned.  Soon 
a  shout  of  triumph  from  the  King  announced  that 
the  villager  had  lost  again.  The  rabble  applauded 
with  roars  of  laughter.  The  King  crawled  like  a 
hideous  black  beetle  from  his  urn,  and,  guided  by 
one  of  his  subjects,  gripped  the  hand  of  the  nude 
gamester.  Both  men  knelt  on  the  ground.  The 
stone  upon  which  the  broken  knife  had  been 
sharpened  was  pushed  towards  them.  With  per 
fect  stoicism,  the  villager  laid  his  finger  on  the 
stone;  the  King  took  the  knife  and,  first  feeling 
with  ferocious  carefulness  the  exact  length  of  the 
finger,  in  order  not  to  lose  an  iota  of  his  winnings, 
cut  the  finger  off  to  its  root.  Had  he  possessed 
eyes,  he  could  not  have  measured  better.  He 
turned  the  urn  upside  down,  and,  mounting  it, 
waved  the  finger  high  above  his  head,  that  all 
might  see  it,  making  the  while  horrible  grimaces, 
evincing  his  joy.  The  vanquished  gamester  said 
not  a  word;  he  might  have  lost  a  slipper  from  his 
foot,  for  any  sign  of  pain  he  gave.  He  took  a 
burning  stick  from  the  fire,  and  coolly  held  the 
flames  to  his  bleeding  hand  till  the  wound  was 
cauterized.  While  all  were  intent  upon  this  scene, 
a  man  in  the  rear  of  the  crowd  shouted  suddenly, 
"Cobbler's  Wax  Li  is  coming!"  This  announce 
ment  produced  an  instantaneous  effect.  All 
turned  to  look.  Far  down  the  road  a  little  column 
of  dust  rose  in  the  air.  That  sight  was  sufficient. 
The  villagers,  men,  women,  and  children  ran  swiftly 
back  to  their  homes.  The  King  kept  his  position 
24 


370          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

on  the  upturned  urn  long  enough  to  roar  com 
mands  to  his  army,  then  sprang  down,  and  with 
two  men  guiding  him,  fled  in  the  opposite  direction, 
which  was  Pekingward,  followed  by  the  beggars 
laden  with  their  loot. 


CHAPTER   XXV 

IN  THE  VILLA 

WHEN  Fen-Sha  and  Follingsbee  jumped  from 
the  window,  they  found  themselves — though 
they  did  not  know  it,  nor  would  have  cared 
had  they  been  aware  of  it — in  a  garden  laid 
out  after  the  celebrated  one  of  the  philosopher, 
Sse  ma  Kouang.  Winding  through  the  garden, 
which  comprised  not  more  than  three  or  four  acres, 
was  a  charming  little  rivulet,  that  fell  from  an 
artificial  hill  on  the  west,  and  splashing  down  into 
a  deep  pool  was  diverted  into  four  shining  stream 
lets  which  meandered  through  tiny  meadows  and 
lovely  parks.  Brilliant  aquatic  birds  swam  in  the 
water.  The  banks  were  terraced  and  covered  with 
roses,  or  pomegranate  and  oleander  trees  and  per 
simmons,  whose  fruit  hung  in  the  autumn  like 
brilliant  red  globes  from  the  branches.  Graceful 
bridges  of  marble  spanned  the  rivulets  at  intervals 
and  led  to  summer  houses,  miniature  pagodas,  and 
fern-grown  grottoes.  Here  and  there  were  little 
islands  with  rustic  seats  in  the  shade  of  flowering, 
sweet-scented  mimosa  trees.  But  of  all  this 
loveliness  Fen-Sha  saw  nothing  and  Follingsbee 


372          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

only  vaguely.  They  ran  down  winding  walks, 
canopied  by  weeping  willows;  they  crossed  the 
little  bridges  to  peer  into  pleasant  grottoes  and 
summer  houses  and  pagodas.  Of  A-lu-te  they 
found  not  a  trace.  They  came  at  last  upon  a 
barrier  of  rocks  fantastically  heaped  to  represent 
a  camel's  back;  at  the  bottom  of  this  barrier  and 
cunningly  veiled  by  a  thicket  of  tufted  bamboo  and 
honeysuckle  vines,  was  an  opening  into  which  they 
rushed  with  an  exultant  cry.  They  penetrated  a 
deep  grotto,  which  grew  narrower  and  deeper  as 
they  advanced,  till  finally  it  terminated  in  a 
black  sloping  pit  where  they  could  with  difficulty 
stand  upright  and  where  the  gloom  was  impene 
trable,  the  air  fetid,  and  where  soft  slimy  mud 
covered  their  feet. 

"A-lu-te,"  called  Fen-Sha,  as  he  groped  help 
lessly  about  in  the  blackness.  "A-lu-te,  are  you 
here?"  No  answer.  Follingsbee  struck  a  match. 
On  the  ground  in  a  muddy  pool  of  water,  tied  hands 
and  feet  with  coarse  hempen  ropes,  was  A-lu-te. 
Here  she  had  lain  for  long  hours,  night  and  day, 
at  first  struggling  painfully  to  free  herself  from  the 
ropes  which  cut  into  her  soft,  delicate  flesh,  then 
motionless,  almost  without  breathing,  as  one 
whose  frail  form  has  been  crushed  beneath  the 
weight  of  heavy  stones  above  her,  stones  which 
hid  her  from  the  outside  world,  from  the  flowering 
garden,  where  birds  sang  joyfully  in  the  sunshine, 
and  where  the  silly  little  women  of  Li's  house 
hold  came  to  play  and  scold  and  chatter  like  bright- 


In  the  Villa  373 

plumed  paroquets,  with  never  a  thought  of  her 
perishing  near  them.  The  water  trickled  from  the 
mouldy  stones  and  formed  a  bed  for  her  to  lie  in. 
The  fear  of  dying  alone  in  the  blackness  had  at 
first  overcome  her  and  she  had  called  again  and 
again  to  Ho-Shu  when  he  brought  her,  to  come 
back,  even  if  only  to  taunt  and  mock  her.  She  had 
cried  like  a  child,  imploring,  coaxing,  raging.  He 
had  returned  and,  holding  high  the  lantern,  had 
peered  down  upon  her  with  leering  face  to  say, 
"You  won't  be  long  alone,  my  dear.  Li  Lien  Ying 
will  soon  be  here  to  make  you  a  little  visit. " 

And  the  chill  which  her  body  felt  in  the  cold 
atmosphere  of  that  black  pit  penetrated  to  her 
heart.  She  hoped  then  she  would  die  before  Li 
came.  The  hours  passed ;  she  lay  there,  neither 
waking  nor  sleeping,  in  a  state  of  semi-conscious 
ness,  when  she  was  roused  by  a  voice.  It  was  a 
voice  which  she  constantly  dreamed  of,  but  never 
thought  to  hear  again,  the  voice  of  one  she  loved 
better  than  life,  better  than  the  sunshine,  than 
the  sweet  fresh  air,  or  the  song  of  the  birds;  it 
was  the  voice  of  Fen-Sha  calling  her  name.  She 
had  tried  to  answer,  struggling  to  raise  her  head 
from  the  mud,  making  one  supreme  effort  to  put 
forth  strength  in  her  tones.  Then  she  fell  back. 
No  voice  penetrated  her  tired  brain  now,  not  even 
the  voice  of  Fen-Sha. 

And  so  he  found  her,  the  dainty  maiden,  whose 
beauty,  gaiety,  and  sweetness  had  been  the  happi 
ness  of  his  stormy,  perilous  career.  He  lifted  the 


374          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

poor  mud-covered  little  body  in  his  arms  and 
carried  it  carefully  as  a  mother  carries  her  sick 
child,  from  the  grotto  into  the  garden.  To  Fol- 
lingsbee's  expression  of  horror,  pity,  and  wrath  at 
the  girl's  pathetic  plight,  he  made  no  answer,  nor 
did  a  word  fall  from  his  lips  till,  out  in  the  sun 
shine,  he  said,  "Go  first,  be  my  sword  arm,  I 
entreat  you." 

"Is  it  needful  to  entreat?"  replied  Follingsbee 
reproachfully. 

They  ran,  Follingsbee  leading. 

The  clamour  of  fighting  appeared  to  have  ceased. 
As  they  hurried  through  the  winding  paths,  along 
the  rose  bordered  rivulets,  and  approached  the 
house,  they  saw  no  one.  In  the  magnificent  apart 
ment,  where  they  had  first  encountered  the  women, 
were  evidences  of  shameless  looting.  The  place 
was  deserted, — not  a  beggar,  not  a  servant,  was 
in  sight.  Follingsbee  thought  he  heard  a  woman's 
whimper,  but  dared  not  stop  to  investigate.  In 
the  courtyard  the  same  ominous  silence  met  them. 
In  one  corner  lay  what  appeared  to  be  a  bundle  of 
clothes,  but  which  was  in  reality  the  tingi,  his 
legs  broken  by  blows  from  a  beggar's  cudgel. 

Fen-Sha  and  Follingsbee  sped  across  the  large 
court  to  the  open  gate.  They  had  barely  reached 
it,  when  the  sound  of  quick  galloping  struck  their 
ears.  Cautiously  they  peered  out.  Less  than  a 
yard  away  was  a  group  of  horsemen  in  the  official 
uniform  of  Li  Lien  Ying's  outriders. 

"The  Chief  Eunuch's  escort!"  gasped  Fen-Sha 


In  the  Villa  375 

and,  even  as  he  said  the  words,  Follingsbee 
slammed  the  great  gates  shut  and  barred  them. 

For  a  moment  the  two  men  stood  staring  dumbly 
at  each  other.  What  was  to  be  done  now? 
Escape  from  the  villa  was  cut  off;  they  could  only 
seek  a  hiding-place  somewhere  in  the  house.  Al 
ready  loud  shouting  for  the  tingi  was  heard  and 
pounding  upon  the  gates.  They  turned  and  ran 
back  into  the  house.  If  the  servants  should  hear 
their  master's  voice  and  crawl  from  their  hiding- 
places,  the  game  was  up.  Fen-Sha' s  arm  tight 
ened  around  A-lu-te's  slender  form;  Follingsbee 
instinctively  felt  for  his  revolver  only  to  remember 
that  the  beggars  had  stolen  it  in  the  House  of  the 
Hens'  Feathers,  leaving  him  the  cartridges.  The 
pounding  on  the  gates  increased  in  violence,  then 
was  followed  by  clattering  of  horses'  hoofs  in  the 
court. 

"Quick!"  cried  Follingsbee,  "back  into  the 
garden!  We  may  be  able  to  scale  the  wall!" 

"It's  twenty  feet  high  and  has  iron  spikes  on 
top,"  said  Fen-Sha  without  moving.  His  eyes 
scanned  the  apartment.  "That  small  door  to 
the  right — see  where  it  leads. ' '  Follingsbee  pushed 
the  door  open  and  entered  a  dimly  lighted  room. 
Two  huge,  newly  lacquered  coffins1  loomed  up 
sombrely  before  him.  "A  death  chamber!"  he 
exclaimed  turning  to  come  out.  Fen-Sha  pushed 

1  Every  Chinese  buys  as  handsome  a  coffin  as  he  can  afford 
for  himself  and  generally  keeps  it  in  his  house  as  he  would  a  piece 
of  furniture. 


376          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

past  him.  "No, "  he  said,  "not  a  death  cham 
ber — yet.  Close  the  door  again,  but  do  not  lock 
it." 

In  a  chair  carried  by  four  brawny  bearers  and 
surrounded  by  mounted  attendants,  among  them 
the  eunuch  Ho-Shu,  sat  Cobbler's  Wax  Li,  splen 
didly  apparelled.  He  had  left  the  Summer 
Palace  that  morning  without  telling  the  Empress 
Dowager  of  A-lu-te's  capture. 

The  knowledge  that  his  victim  was  safely  im 
prisoned  in  the  grotto  of  his  garden  and  without 
possibility  of  escape  (for  Ho-Shu  had  securely 
bound  her)  had  made  him  content  to  await  his 
opportunity  of  feasting  his  eyes  upon  her,  of 
enjoying  her  abject  fear  before  she  was  done  to 
death  with  the  tortures  he  designed  for  her. 

The  morning  of  A-lu-te's  flight  from  the  Palace, 
when  he  had  cynically  watched  each  step  of  her 
fancied  escape  from  the  eminence  of  the  round 
tower  and  marked  the  exact  spot  in  the  tall 
Kaoliang  where  she  had  disappeared  dressed  in  the 
clothes  of  the  dead  peasant  boy  outside  the  gates, 
he  had  not  lost  sight  of  her  one  moment.  He  had 
given  his  instructions  to  Ho-Shu  to  press  her 
flight  towards  the  village  of  Yang-lin,  near  his 
villa,  and  there  seize  her.  In  the  meanwhile  he, 
himself,  had  informed  the  Empress  Dowager  of 
A-lu-te's  flight.  The  Old  Buddha's  rage  had  been 
terrible;  he  almost  repented  of  having  allowed  the 
girl  to  escape  from  the  Palace,  for  it  was  upon  his 


In  the  Villa  377 

head  that  the  Empress  Dowager's  fury  broke. 
She  upbraided  and  reviled  him,  she  threatened  him 
with  dismissal,  for  hours  she  refused  to  allow  him 
to  speak  to,  or  approach,  her,  while  she  alternately 
wept  and  stormed  in  her  pavilion.  He  became 
alarmed;  had  he  not  been  afraid  to  trust  a  mes 
senger,  he  would  have  sent  after  Ho-Shu  and 
changed  his  instructions  and  had  A-lu-te  promptly 
brought  back  to  the  Palace. 

But  he  tided  the  storm,  for  the  Empress  Dow 
ager  hearing  of  the  efforts  he  had  put  forth  to  find 
the  girl,  of  the  numerous  detachments  of  Banner- 
men  he  had  sent  scouring  the  hills  and  plain  in 
every  direction  (but  the  right  one),  had  relented 
sufficiently  to  send  for  him  and  learn  from  his  own 
lips  all  that  he  was  doing.  After  that,  it  had  been 
an  easy  matter  to  again  ingratiate  himself  with 
her;  he  even  succeeded  in  gaining  merit  in  her 
eyes  by  the  zeal  he  displayed  in  organizing  and 
directing  the  search. 

Now  at  last  he  had  come  to  enjoy  his  revenge. 
All  the  way  from  the  Summer  Palace  he  had  gone 
over  and  over  again  the  scene  he  intended  enacting 
when  he  reached  the  grotto.  He  rehearsed  in 
detail  all  the  refinement  of  tortures  he  had  planned 
before  she  was  done  to  death  by  slow  smothering 
in  mud. 

He  rubbed  his  big  hands  together  in  the  grim 
pleasure  evoked  by  these  pictures.  As  he  drew 
nearer  the  village  of  Yang-lin  his  impatience  to 
arrive  increased.  From  behind  the  silk  curtains 


378          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

he  shouted  to  the  perspiring  bearers  to  hasten ;  he 
threatened  them  with  application  of  the  big  bam 
boo  upon  the  soles  of  their  already  aching  feet, 
if  they  did  not  run  faster.  He  could  hear  them 
panting  in  their  increased  efforts  at  speed,  as  if 
their  lungs  would  crack. 

Finally  they  stopped  before  the  gates  of  his 
villa.  Li  stepped  from  his  chair  without  a  glance 
at  the  bearers  who  dropped  like  dead  mules  on  the 
ground. 

The  mafoos  had  jumped  from  their  horses  and 
were  already  pounding  for  admittance.  The  tingi 
did  not  open  the  gates  nor  peer  out  upon  them 
through  the  panel  slides.  Li  roared  and  stamped 
furiously  upon  the  ground,  demanding  of  his 
frightened  attendants  the  meaning  of  this  unpre 
cedented  ignoring  of  his  presence.  They  knew  no 
more  than  he  and  were  afraid  to  remind  him  of  the 
fact.  Within  the  court  profound  silence  reigned. 
" Break  down  the  gates!"  commanded  the  Chief 
Eunuch.  "The  tingi' s  head  shall  be  stuck  on  a 
pole  to  ornament  the  broken  gates." 

The  doors  were  about  to  be  battered  down, 
when  they  slowly  opened.  The  Chief  Eunuch 
entered  with  an  oath  on  his  lips  and  stopped, 
struck  dumb  with  what  he  saw.  The  court  was 
strewn  with  shreds  of  filthy  rags  and  portions  of  the 
garments  worn  by  the  servants  of  his  villa.  At  his 
feet  lay  the  tingi  senseless,  a  deep  gash  in  his  head 
where  he  had  fallen  and  with  both  legs  broken. 
He  had  managed  to  crawl  on  his  hands  to  open  the 


In  the  Villa  379 

gates  for  his  master,  then  had  dropped.  He 
appeared  to  be  dead.  Farther  off  were  the  bodies 
of  three  beggars.  Here  and  there  in  the  court, 
stamped  in  the  dirt,  ruined  beyond  repair,  were 
panel  paintings ;  some  of  these  Li  recognized  as  the 
most  priceless  in  his  cherished  collection.  He 
found  his  voice  at  last  and  fairly  spat  the  curses 
which  had  been  choking  him  from  his  mouth. 
Striding  through  the  court  he  entered  the  house. 
Here  the  scene  was  even  worse.  Everything  was 
in  confusion,  the  furniture  was  smashed,  his  val 
uable  jars,  bowls,  and  vases  broken  and  others 
gone.  The  Chief  Eunuch  tore  from  one  room  to 
another  in  a  frenzy  of  rage,  roaring  like  a  madman. 
He  shouted  for  the  servants,  for  the  women  of  his 
household.  At  last  he  found  them,  huddled  to 
gether  in  the  far  end  of  the  house,  the  women 
whimpering,  the  servants  with  their  long  coats 
torn,  their  official  hats  hanging  down  their  backs, 
or  entirely  off,  their  teeth  chattering,  and  this  last 
because  of  their  fear  of  him,  which  exceeded  their 
fear  of  the  invading  beggar  horde. 

With  difficulty  the  Chief  Eunuch  obtained  an 
account  of  what  had  occurred  that  morning.  He 
listened  in  cold  concentrated  wrath.  He  believed 
the  raid  to  have  been  entirely  a  beggars'  raid  for 
loot,  unsurpassed  in  Chinese  history  for  its  au 
dacity,  and  for  which  the  King  of  the  Beggars, 
responsible  to  the  State  for  the  conduct  of  his  sub 
jects,  should  be  made  to  pay  with  his  life.  It  was 
only  when  the  women  took  up  the  tale  and  told 


380         The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

of  two  men,  not  mendicants,  who  had  forced  their 
way  to  their  apartments  (in  which  statement 
the  poor  things  lied  glibly,  for  they,  themselves, 
had  penetrated  to  the  front  of  the  house  to  watch 
with  fearful  curiosity  the  uproar  in  the  court) 
and  demanded  whether  a  strange  Manchu  woman 
was  secreted  there,  that  the  Chief  Eunuch's  anger 
took  another  turn.  He  poured  forth  questions  in 
such  rapid  succession  the  women  had  trouble  to 
keep  pace  with  their  answers.  Having  learnt  all 
they  had  to  tell,  he  commanded  them  to  remain 
where  they  were  and  left  the  room  with  Ho- Shu. 
The  two  eunuchs  made  haste  to  reach  the  grotto. 
They  found  A-lu-te  gone.  The  hempen  cords 
which  had  held  her  securely  bound  were  lying  on 
the  ground  and  everywhere  the  marks  of  feet,  not 
hers,  showed  in  the  mud  about  them. 

"Fool!"  cried  the  Chief  Eunuch,  turning  upon 
his  henchman  because  of  the  necessity  he  was 
under  to  vent  his  rage  upon  someone  without 
delay,  "Fool,  why  did  you  bring  her  here?  Were 
there  no  dark  chambers  in  my  villa,  with  locks  and 
bars,  where  she  could  have  been  thrown?" 

And  he  struck  Ho- Shu  a  blow  across  the  mouth. 
The  eunuch  spat  out  the  blood  and  two  front  teeth, 
then  answered  sullenly:  "I  did  as  you  commanded; 
you  said  the  cave  was  filled  with  slime  and  reptiles 
and  that  here  she  would  suffer  more;  and  I  tied 
her  hand  and  foot,  as  these  ropes  can  testify. 
How  should  I  know  that  anyone  would  find 
her?" 


In  the  Villa  381 

"Silence!"  roared  Li,  "or  I  will  wring  your 
cursed  neck." 

The  Chief  Eunuch  had  a  powerful  frame;  there 
was  no  question  of  his  ability  to  do  as  he  threatened. 

They  returned  in  silence  to  the  house. 

"Go  fetch  the  tingi,"  commanded  Li,  on  being 
told  that  the  man  still  lived. 

The  gatekeeper,  being  unable  to  walk,  was 
carried  into  Li's  presence  and  dropped  on  the 
floor  before  him. 

"Did  you  see  two  men,  who  entered  with  the 
beggars,  leave  again?" 

"My  Lord,  I  saw  them  and  they  have  not  left 
the  villa." 

"Beware  lest  your  tongue  speaks  lies — how  do 
you  know  they  did  not  leave  with  the  beggar 
horde?" 

"Because,  my  Lord,  I  saw  them  with  these  two 
eyes  running  towards  the  gates  just  as  your  Lord 
ship  was  arriving.  One  of  them  carried  a  youth 
in  his  arms.  At  the  time  your  Lordship  demanded 
admittance  I  was  at  the  extreme  end  of  the  court, 
unable  to  use  my  legs,  broken  as  they  were  by  those 
vile  creatures  with  their  cudgels,  and  I  could  only 
crawl  slowly  on  my  hands  to " 

"Did  I  ask  about  you  and  your  miserable  legs, 
fellow?  What  did  the  two  men?" 

1 l  They  spoke  low  to  one  another,  then  ran  with 
all  speed  back  into  the  house. " 

"  Ah !  they  did  that  ?  They  ran  into  the  house  ? ' ' 
said  Li  and  a  smile,  slow,  cunning,  unpleasant  to 


382          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

see,  came  into  his  face.  "Enough,  take  the  fellow 
away;  let  his  head  be  struck  off  and  affixed  to  a 
pole  over  the  gates.  It  will  serve  to  remind  the 
next  tingi  what  fate  awaits  him  if  he  lets  down  the 
bars  to  admit  vermin  into  his  master's  house." 

"Mercy!  My  Lord,  mercy!"  cried  the  tingi* 
"I  did  not  open  the  gates.  By  the  graves  of  my 
ancestors,  I  did  not ;  I  let  the  creatures  storm  and 
shout  and  never  lifted  down  a  bar.  I " 

"Remove  him,"  said  the  Chief  Eunuch  coldly. 

The  wretch  was  dragged  out,  still  crying  for 
mercy. 

"And  you, "  continued  Li,  in  short,  sharp  tones, 
to  his  servants,  "search  every  room  in  the  house 
— allow  not  a  nook,  a  corner,  to  escape  your  eyes. 
Ten  of  you  go  with  Ho-Shu  into  the  garden;  ex 
amine  carefully  every  clump  of  bushes,  every 
summer  house,  pagoda,  grotto.  I  make  each  one 
among  you  responsible  if  these  robbers,  hiding  on 
my  premises,  are  not  brought  before  me  within  the 
hour.  See  to  it!" 

The  servants  fell  on  their  knees,  struck  their 
foreheads  on  the  ground,  then  rose  as  if  pulled  by 
a  single  string,  and  rushed  off  to  begin  their 
search. 

Li  walked  up  and  down  the  room  with  long, 
soft-footed  strides.  Now  and  again  he  stood 
still  listening.  He  gave  the  effect  of  a  hyena, 
sniffing  the  air. 

On  one  of  these  occasions  he  seemed  to  be  seized 
with  a  sudden  thought,  for  he  flung  the  door  open 


In  the  Villa  383 

into  the  coffin-room  and  stood  on  the  threshold 
peering  in.  Then  he  entered.  A  look  of  relief 
and  satisfaction  came  into  his  face  when  he  saw 
that  the  handsome  lacquered  coffins  he  had  ordered 
constructed  for  himself  and  his  favourite  wroman 
had  not  been  molested  by  the  beggars.  He  lighted 
a  cloisonne  lantern,  a  veritable  work  of  art,  which 
hung  from  the  ceiling,  and,  bending  over  the  coffin 
nearest  him,  scrutinized  the  rich  lacquer  coating 
carefully.  No!  it  had  not  been  injured.  He 
examined  the  second  coffin;  this,  also,  was  unim 
paired.  He  was  about  to  lift  the  lid  of  the  coffin 
to  look  inside,  not  because  he  retained  a  fear  that 
this  magnificent  last  bed  of  his  had  been  polluted 
by  the  touch  of  filthy,  sacrilegious  hands,  but  to 
pleasure  his  eye  with  a  glance  at  the  rich  apricot 
silk  with  which  it  was  lined;  for  in  this  instance 
he  had  not  trespassed  on  the  royal  prerogative, — 
Tzu  Hsi  had  accorded  him  the  privilege  of  using 
the  imperial  colour  after  death.  The  door  of  the 
outer  room  burst  open  and  the  servants,  Ho-Shu 
in  the  lead,  rushed  in.  Li  turned,  seated  himself 
on  the  unopened  coffin  lid,  and  called  them  to 
approach. 

They  crowded  into  the  little  room. 

"Lord  of  Nine  Thousand  Years!"  said  Ho-Shu, 
with  a  curious  mingling  of  fear,  spite,  and  malicious 
joy  in  his  voice — he  had  not  forgotten  the  blow 
on  his  mouth  and  the  loss  of  his  front  teeth. 
"We  have  discovered  where  and  how  the  men 
escaped." 


384         The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

"So,  they  have  escaped?  You  know  this?" 
Under  the  quietness  of  Li's  tones  lay  something 
menacing. 

"Yes,  my  Lord,"  continued  Ho-Shu  hardily. 
44  We  had  examined  every  spot  in  the  garden  which 
could  offer  even  a  semblance  of  a  hiding-place. 
Twice  we  made  the  rounds  of  the  garden  and  twice 
we  skirted  the  wall,  which,  as  your  Lordship  knows, 
is  high  and  well  protected  against  marauders  with 
iron  spikes.  Though  I  well  knew  that  it  was  im 
possible  for  any  man  to  escape  over  the  wall,  still 
I  determined  to  look  even  there,  so  I  had  a  ladder 
brought,  and  mounting  it,  assured  myself  that  no 
one  could  find  foothold  between  the  spikes.  While 
I  was  on  the  top  round  of  the  ladder  it  broke  and 
gave  way ;  I  fell,  and  in  falling  my  body  hit  against 
the  wall  near  the  ground.  I  put  my  hands  out  to 
save  myself;  great  was  my  astonishment  to  find 
the  wall  yield,  as  it  were,  to  my  touch  and  open, 
disclosing  a  passageway  along  the  side. " 

At  these  words,  the  Chief  Eunuch,  who  had 
evinced  tokens  of  uneasiness  as  Ho- Shu's  narrative 
proceeded,  sprang  from  his  coffin  seat  and  glared 
furiously  at  his  henchman.  "Did  you  enter?"  he 
shouted  hoarsely.  Ho-Shu's  face  showed  a  bland 
cunning.  "Assuredly,  Lord  of  Nine  Thousand 
Years,  I  entered,  and  not  I  alone,  but  those  with 
me,  and  even  the  other  servants,  for  I  called  them 
all,  fearing  to  enter  alone.  We  followed  the 
passage  in  the  wall  and  came  to  an  underground 
room  filled  with  sacks. " 


In  the  Villa  385 

Li  cast  his  eyes  over  his  servants.  All  were  now 
in  the  secret  guarded  so  jealously  for  years.  His 
treasure  chamber,  where  he  hoarded  his  vast 
fortune,  was  known  to  every  servant  in  his  house, 
and  they  were  sixty  in  number.  Had  Ho-Shu 
kept  the  discovery  to  himself,  it  had  been  an  easy 
matter  to  guard  against  a  disclosure,  but  the  sly 
eunuch  had  taken  the  precaution  of  summoning 
the  entire  household  to  penetrate  with  him  the 
secret  passage. 

The  discovery  of  his  hidden  treasure  cave  touched 
the  Chief  Eunuch  more  nearly  than  the  escape  of 
A-lu-te.  How  many  of  his  precious  sacks  had 
they  stolen  between  them?  He  would  go  himself 
and  find  out  and  have  the  entrance  walled  up  until 
he  could  have  another  hiding-place  constructed. 

Pale  and  trembling  with  wrath,  he  left  the  room, 
commanding  his  servants — winking  slyly  now  at 
one  another — to  follow.  It  was  indeed  an  unlucky 
day  for  Cobbler's  Wax  Li.  It  was  also,  had  he 
but  known  it,  an  unlucky  day  for  Ho-Shu,  for, 
in  spite  of  his  precaution  to  admit  all  of  Li's 
household  into  the  secret  of  the  hidden  treasure 
chamber  in  order  to  insure  his  own  safety,  his  fate 
was  sealed  in  the  dark  mind  of  the  Chief  Eunuch. 

Scarcely  had  Li  Lien  Ying  and  his  servants  left 
the  room  when  Fen-Sha  and  Follingsbee  raised  the 
lid  of  the  coffin  upon  which  Li  had  sat  and  wherein 
they  were  well-nigh  suffocated  and  crawled  out. 
Then  they  lifted  the  still  unconscious  A-lu-te  from 
her  gloomy  couch  in  the  second  coffin  and  cau- 

25 


386         The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

tiously  made  their  way  through  the  adjoining  room 
out  into  the  court.  Hugging  the  shadow  of  the 
wall  they  were  approaching  the  gates,  when  a  shrill 
feminine  shriek  reached  them,  then  another  and 
another.  Fen-Sha  made  a  dash  for  the  gates; 
Follingsbee  followed,  but  not  before  he  turned  to 
verify  a  suspicion.  In  the  doorway  watching 
them  stood  the  prettiest  of  the  painted  dolls  they 
had  encountered  in  Li's  villa  that  day.  Her  ex 
pression  was  vindictive ;  her  shrieks  were  loud ;  they 
were  meant  to  penetrate  to  the  garden,  where  the 
Chief  Eunuch  and  his  servants  had  gone. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

IN   THE  HUT    OF  A   "DEVIL'S   PUPIL" 

"YouR  Majesty,  my  teacher  was  a  plaiter  of 
mats  living  in  the  village  of  Yang-lin." 

S'ang  was  standing  beside  Kuang  Hsu's  chair. 
The  Emperor  was  turning  the  leaves  of  a  book  new 
to  him,  called  the  Gospel  of  St.  John.  S'ang  had 
been  reading  it  aloud. 

"A  plaiter  of  mats?  How  comes  it  that  he  can 
read  and  is  a  teacher?" 

"He  was  not  always  a  plaiter  of  mats,  your 
Majesty.  Many  years  ago  he  was  in  the  household 
of  a  foreign  missionary,  an  old  man  killed  by  the 
people  in  the  province  of  Shantung  where  he  lived. 
Pu-lun  escaped,  for  in  their  rage  they  tried  to  kill 
him  also.  He  fled  north,  returning  to  his  old  home 
in  Yang-lin.  Here  he  weaves  mats  for  a  living  and 
teaches  all  those  who  are  willing  to  learn.  The 
villagers  do  not  molest  him,  for  his  reputation 
among  them  is  that  of  an  honest  and  industrious 
man.  But  neither  do  they  listen  to  his  teachings. 
He  is  not  a  scholar ;  his  ignorance  of  the  classics  is  as 
profound  as  that  of  any  other  plaiter  of  mats ;  yet 
when  he  speaks  of  God  there  lies  in  his  tongue  such 

387 


388          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

power  as  truth  alone  possesses.  Those  who  will 
but  listen  to  him  cannot  help  believing;  and  when 
he  reads  from  the  Holy  Book,  a  wonderful  peace 
comes  to  the  heart;  misfortunes,  the  sorrows  of 
this  life  grow  vague,  intangible,  and  rise  from  the 
heart  to  disappear  like  vapour  from  the  boiling 
kettle." 

"I  would  like  to  see  and  hear  this  man/'  mur 
mured  Kuang  Hsu. 

"That  is  easily  arranged,"  returned  S'ang 
quickly. 

"What!  Give  audience  in  the  Palace  to  a 
plaiter  of  mats?  The  idea  is  preposterous!" 

"Your  Majesty  can  see  and  hear  him  without 
summoning  him  to  the  Palace,"  suggested  S'ang. 

The  young  Emperor  looked  up  eagerly.  ' '  Speak 
plainly,"  he  commanded. 

"Your  Majesty  can  ride  to  the  village  of  Yang- 
lin  and  go  to  the  house  of  Pu-lun.  It  is  not  neces 
sary  that  this  be  known  to  anyone.  Yang-lin 
is  not  many  Us  distant;  a  cart  is  easy  to  procure; 
plain  garments  also.  Your  slave  can  drive  a  mule 
as  well  as  another  and  the  small  gate  near  the  East 
Gate  Glorious  has  been  used  before  this  by  those 
who  desired  to  leave  the  Yellow  City  unobserved. " 

"By  Buddha!  The  idea  is  good!"  cried  Kuang 
Hsu  with  delight.  "The  Emperor  Ching  was 
accustomed  to  roam  the  streets  of  Peking  dis 
guised  as  a  common  coolie  to  learn  the  disposition 
and  character  of  his  people.  Why  should  not  I 
follow  his  excellent  example?  Make  ready.  Let 


In  the  Hut  of  a  "  Devil's  Pupil "     389 

it  be  known  that  I,  having  need  of  rest,  have 
retired  to  my  couch  and  must  not  be  disturbed. 
Hasten. " 

Kuang  Hsu's  blood  leaped  and  bounded  in  his 
veins  with  the  joyful  anticipation  of  freedom  for 
a  few  hours  from  the  gloomy  restraint,  the  weary 
monotony  of  life  in  the  Forbidden  City. 

S'ang  was  not  long  in  making  the  needful  ar 
rangements.  Dressed  as  a  well-to-do  gentleman 
of  the  middle  class,  Kuang  Hsu  sat  on  the  floor  of 
the  blue-topped  cart  looking  out  on  the  streets 
of  his  capital,  which,  for  the  first  time  in  his  young 
life,  were  not  deserted  at  his  approach,  and  were 
not  covered  with  yellow  sand  —  how  he  had 
grown  to  hate  that  sand,  part  emblem  of  his  soli 
tariness!  The  shop  doors  and  windows  were  not 
closed  and  multitudes  of  human  beings  were 
about  him. 

A  prisoner  escaped  from  his  cell,  breathing  again 
the  fresh  air  of  the  outdoor  world,  seeing  again 
the  blue  sky  over  him,  would  have  felt  as  young 
Kuang  Hsu  felt  that  day.  He  was  no  longer  the 
lonely,  unhappy  bearer  of  the  imperial  title;  he 
was  a  young  man  tingling  with  a  sense  of  com 
panionship  heretofore  denied  him,  elated  by  the 
sights  and  sounds  about  him  of  a  busy  workaday 
world.  His  pale,  handsome  face,  habitually  over 
cast  by  sadness,  weariness,  or  the  stormy  clouds 
of  an  uncontrolled  temper,  now  shone  with  gay 
audacity,  with  lively  humour,  with  a  disposition 
sweet  as  nature  had  originally  intended  it  should  be 


39°          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

but  which  fate  in  the  shape  of  Tzu  Hsi  had  changed 
the  day  she  placed  him  on  the  Dragon  Throne. 

He  felt  immensely  happy;  frequently  he  left 
the  cart  to  enter  a  shop,  or  tea-house;  he  laughed 
and  bantered  with  S'ang,  till  the  eunuch  came  near 
forgetting  that  this  gay  young  fellow  was  the 
gloomy  "Solitary  One"  of  the  Forbidden  City. 

Progress  through  the  city  was  slow,  because  of 
Kuang  Hsu's  reiterated  commands  to  halt,  while 
he  loitered  in  the  streets  and  mingled  with  the 
crowds.  They  passed  a  wine  shop,  made  fashion 
able  by  the  young  bloods  of  Peking.  Song  and 
laughter  reached  them  from  the  open  windows. 
Kuang  Hsu,  with  a  gay  gesture  to  S'ang  to  wait, 
entered  the  shop.  A  dozen  or  more  young  dandies 
were  in  the  room,  their  half -filled  cups  before  them, 
their  faces  faintly  wine-flushed.  One  of  them  was 
singing.  The  words  were  coarse,  the  melody  un- 
tuneful.  The  song  was  applauded  by  everyone 
but  Kuang  Hsu.  He  seated  himself  at  a  small 
table  and  ordered  wine  from  an  attendant. 

"Sir  stranger,"  gibed  a  young  blade  near  him, 
"it  appears  the  song  has  not  pleased  you.  You 
sing  perhaps  a  better  one  when  you  drink  with  your 
friends?" 

"When  I  drink  with  my  friends?"  A  cloud 
passed  over  Kuang  Hsu's  face,  as  he  repeated  the 
question  sombrely.  His  friends !  Why  he  had  not 
one !  Then  his  manner  changed  again  and  a  note 
of  raillery  crept  into  his  voice,  raillery  at  himself. 
1 '  Would  you  hear  my  song  ?  "  he  cried.  And  with- 


In  the  Hut  of  a  " Devil's  Pupil"     391 

out  waiting  for  an  answer,  he  raised  high  his  wine- 
cup  and  sang : 

"Here  are  flowers,  and  here  is  wine; 
But  where's  a  friend  with  me  to  join 
Hand  to  hand  and  heart  to  heart 
In  one  full  cup  before  we  part  ? 

Rather  than  to  drink  alone, 
I'll  make  bold  to  ask  the  moon 
To  condescend  to  lend  her  face 
To  grace  the  hour  and  the  place. 

Lo !  she  answers  and  she  brings 
My  shadow  on  her  silver  wings; 
That  makes  three,  and  we  shall  be, 
I  ween,  a  merry  company. 

The  modest  moon  declines  the  cup, 
But  shadow  promptly  takes  it  up ; 
And  when  I  dance  my  shadow  fleet 
Keeps  measure  with  my  flying  feet. 

Yet  though  the  moon  declines  to  tipple, 
She  dances  in  yon  shining  ripple; 
And  when  I  sing  my  festive  song 
The  echoes  of  the  moon  prolong. 

Say  when  shall  we  next  meet  together? 
Surely  not  in  cloudy  weather; 
For  you,  my  boon  companions  dear, 
Come  only  when  the  sky  is  clear."1 

1  "On  Drinking  Alone  by  Moonlight."     Li-tao-po,  A.D.  720. 


392          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

The  song — the  most  fanciful  drinking  song  poet 
ever  wrote — was  greeted  with  loud  applause. 
Kuang  Hsu  waved  his  hand  merrily,  and  stepping 
swiftly  from  the  room  entered  his  cart.  S'ang 
whipped  up  the  mule  and  drove  rapidly  through 
the  city  gates  out  on  to  the  open  country  roads.  ] 

When  they  came  to  the  little  village  of  Yang-lin, 
they  found  the  streets  practically  deserted.  A  few 
old  women  and  decrepit  men  were  talking  excitedly 
to  one  another  across  the  thresholds  of  their  homes. 
When  the  cart  passed  them,  they  shouted  to 
S'ang,  "The  beggars  are  raiding  Li  Lien  Ying's 
house." 

They  tried  to  impart  in  their  tones  a  sense  of 
horror  as  of  a  sacrilege  committed,  yet  could  not 
keep  the  pleasure  they  felt  from  their  voices. 
They  heard  a  low  amused  laugh  issue  from  the 
interior  of  the  cart  and,  casting  discretion  to  the 
winds,  their  merriment  became  unconstrained. 

But  S'ang  was  frightened.  He  had  forgotten 
that  the  Chief  Eunuch's  villa  skirted  Yang-lin. 
He  had  only  thought  to  bring  the  young  Emperor 
to  hear  Pu-lun,  because  the  simple,  venerable 
" little  assistant  of  Jesus"  had  a  power,  an  elo 
quence,  which  he,  S'ang,  was  far  from  possessing. 

"Is  Li  here?"  he  asked,  bringing  the  mule  to  an 
abrupt  halt. 

"No.  He  comes  every  sixth  evening,  and  it 
lacks  three  days  of  the  time.  I  would  give  two 
strings  of  cash — if  I  had  them — to  see  his  face 
when  he  enters  his  house.  I  wager  the  beggars 


In  the  Hut  of  a  "  Devil's  Pupil "    393 

will  strip  it  bare — they  won't  leave  anything!" 
cackled  an  old  dame. 

"You've  lost!"  came  Kuang  Hsu's  voice  gaily 
from  behind  the  curtains.  "They'll  leave  plenty 
of — vermin!" 

The  old  men  and  women  laughed  again  delight 
edly. 

"There's  a  wag-tail  for  you!"  they  cried,  and 
hobbled  into  the  street  to  have  a  look  at  the  lively 
occupant  of  the  cart.  But  S'ang  drove  hastily 
away. 

A  few  minutes  later,  sovereign  and  servant 
disappeared  in  the  house  of  Pu-lun  the  plaiter  of 
mats,  the  "little  assistant  of  Jesus." 

It  may  have  been  a  half -hour  afterwards  that  the 
villagers,  rendered  swift-footed  with  fear,  ran 
down  the  highroad  to  the  shelter  of  their  homes, 
and  the  beggar  army  retreated  Peking-ward. 
And  it  was  an  hour  later  that  Fen-Sha,  with 
A-lu-te  in  his  arms,  stood  before  Pu-lun's  house 
while  Follingsbee  rapped  loudly  upon  the  door. 
Because  no  one  admitted  them,  Follingsbee  de 
liberately  raised  the  latch  to  enter  unbidden.  The 
door  was  barred  from  within.  Again  he  knocked 
peremptorily  and  again  without  avail.  He  stepped 
back  to  glance  up  at  the  sign  and  assure  himself 
that  they  had  not  mistaken  the  house.  It  was 
this  strange  sign  which  had  attracted  their  at 
tention  upon  first  entering  the  village  with  the 
beggars,  and  it  was  this  sign  which  had  induced 
them  to  seek  here  the  help  they  hoped  to  obtain 


394          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

for  A-lu-te.  Having  convinced  himself  that  he 
was  not  mistaken  in  the  place,  Follingsbee  called 
boldly,  "Open  in  the  name  of  Jesus." 

This  brought  a  response.  A  venerable-looking 
old  man  opened  the  door,  carefully  closing  it 
behind  him. 

"You  have  summoned  me  in  the  Master's 
name.  I  have  come.  What  do  you  desire  of  me  ?" 

"Your  help."  It  was  Fen-Sha  who  answered. 
"The  youth  here  is  exhausted.  Take  us  in  and 
help  us  to  restore  him.  He  needs  food,  drink, 
and  rest." 

"I  cannot  take  you  in,  but  I  will  give  you  what 
food  I  have.  You  can  eat  and  rest  on  the  road 
side." 

"Rest  on  the  roadside!"  said  Fen-Sha  angrily. 
"Old  man,  your  hospitality  to  strangers  is  indeed 
munificent." 

"You  know  the  law  when  a  stranger  dies  in  a 
man's  house,"  the  old  man  reminded  him  de- 
precatingly. 

"Yes — he  is  arrested — but  the  youth  will  not 
die  if  he  is  allowed  to  repose  in  peace  and  is  given 
to  eat  and  drink, "  pleaded  Fen-Sha. 

But  the  old  man  shook  his  head.  "I  cannot 
open  my  door  to  you.  Let  that  suffice." 

There  was  finality  in  his  tone.  Realizing  the 
futility  of  threats  or  arguments  Fen-Sha  turned 
away  despondingly,  but  Follingsbee  detained  him. 

"Wait,"  he  whispered,  and  turning  to  the  old 
man  said  with  meaning  emphasis :  "It  is  written, 


In  the  Hut  of  a  "  Devil's  Pupil "     395 

'For  with  the  same  measure  that  ye  mete  withal  it 
shall  be  measured  to  you  again."' 

Pu-lun,  for  it  was  he,  bent  a  glad  inquiring 
look  on  Follingsbee.  "You  have  read  the  Book? 
You  are  of  the  Faith?" 

"I  was  born  into  it,"  he  replied,  "and  my 
father  and  mother  before  me." 

"Your  blessings  have  indeed  been  great.  Wait 
here.  I  will  return  to  admit  you."  And  Pu-lun 
slipped  back  into  the  house,  closing  the  door 
with  the  same  caution  as  before. 

From  the  window  of  a  neighbouring  house,  a 
sharp-visaged  village  pawnbroker  listened  to  the 
conversation  and  scrutinized  with  quick  compre 
hension  the  face  of  the  still  unconscious  A-lu-te. 
It  occurred  to  him  that  here  was  a  method  of 
diverting  Cobbler's  Wax  Li's  wrath  from  the 
inhabitants  of  Yang-lin,  when  he  discovered 
what  part  they  had  played  in  the  beggars'  raid 
upon  his  villa.  No  sooner  had  Pu-lun  admitted 
the  three  strangers,  than  the  pawnbroker,  with  a 
crafty  smile  of  satisfaction,  left  his  own  house  and 
hastened  toward  Li  Lien  Ying's  villa. 

In  the  meanwhile  Fen-Sha  and  Follingsbee 
found  themselves  in  a  small,  miserably  furnished 
room,  yet  clean  beyond  the  customary  appearance 
of  so  poor  an  abode. 

"Lay  the  youth  on  the  K'ang.  I  have  brought 
fresh,  cool  water  to  moisten  his  face, "  said  the  old 
man. 

When  A-lu-te  regained  consciousness  she  saw 


396         The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

Fen-Sha  bending  anxiously  over  her.  She  gazed 
in  wonder  and  could  not  believe  it  was  really  he. 
But  when  he  dipped  a  cloth  in  the  bowl  of  water 
he  was  holding  and  passed  it  over  her  forehead,  she 
sighed  happily  as  one  who  wakens  to  find  herself 
in  Paradise.  "It  is  you!" 

"A-lu-te!"  and  he  gazed  on  her  as  if  his  eyes 
would  not  willingly  leave  her  face  again.  Then 
the  basin  slipped  from  his  hands  and  he  dropped 
on  his  knees  beside  her. 

A-lu-te  raised  herself  on  her  elbow;  she  gently 
touched  his  bowed  head.  "I  prayed  that  I  might 
see  you  again,  and  now  you  have  come, "  she 
whispered  with  a  kind  of  rapt  wonder  in  her  voice. 

"Yes,  I  have  come,  my  A-lu-te." 

Follingsbee  stood  silently  near,  but  Pu-lun 
exclaimed,  "The  youth  is  a  woman!" 

They  did  not  heed  him.     A-lu-te  spoke  again: 

"I  am  sick,  Fen-Sha.  The  thread  of  my  life 
will  soon  be  broken,  but  I  die  happy  knowing  you 
are  safe."  Her  voice  trailed  off  weakly,  then 
suddenly  grew  strong  for  she  called  loudly, 
"S'ang!" 

Fen-Sha  thought  her  mind  was  wondering;  he 
clasped  her  closer  to  him. 

Again  A-lu-te  called,  "S'ang!"  and  raising 
herself  from  the  encircling  arms  of  her  lover,  she 
said,  "You  were  right.  The  God  of  the  foreigner, 
the  God  of  the  Christian  is  all  powerful,  all  merci 
ful.  I  die  believing  and  I  die  thanking  Him." 

Her  pale  face  became  as  marble  in  its  whiteness, 


In  the  Hut  of  a  "  Devil's  Pupil "     397 

her  eyes,  which  had  been  fixed  straight  before 
her,  closed,  her  head  sank  on  Fen-Sha's  shoulder. 
She  lay  motionless  as  one  who  has  ceased  to 
breathe,  who  yields  to  death  content  to  die  in 
her  lover's  arms. 

The  pain  in  the  heart  of  Fen-Sha  was  as  the 
thrust  of  a  two-edged  sword. 

"She  is  dead!"  he  said,  and  laid  her  gently  back 
upon  the  K'ang. 

Pu-lun  had  thrown  a  frightened  glance  at 
the  door  of  the  adjoining  room  when  A-lu-te 
called  out;  he  drew  a  sigh  of  relief  on  seeing  it 
quickly  close  again.  He  now  bent  over  A-lu-te, 
placing  his  ear  close  to  her  mouth.  "She  lives," 
he  announced,  straightening  himself  again.  From 
a  mat-covered  box  he  took  a  bottle  containing 
a  yellowish  fluid.  Gently  forcing  A-lu-te's  lips 
apart  he  poured  a  few  drops  of  the  liquid  down  her 
throat.  He  repeated  this  operation  several  times 
while  Fen-Sha  watched  with  suspense  for  signs  of 
returning  consciousness.  When  the  dark  eyes 
opened  and  smiled  up  at  him,  he  sobbed  with  joy. 

Follingsbee  alone  was  not  wholly  absorbed  in  the 
scene.  For  some  time  he  had  become  aware  of 
vague,  confused  sounds  in  the  distance. 

He  listened  intently.  The  sounds  grew  moment 
arily  louder,  clearer;  he  could  hear  voices  and  the 
dull  tramping  of  felt-soled  shoes  on  the  highroad. 

He  opened  the  door  and  threw  a  swift  glance  in 
the  direction  of  Li's  villa.  Then  he  closed  and 
barred  the  door. 


398          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

Fen-Sha  remained  kneeling  by  the  K'ang, 
clasping  A-lu-te's  hand. 

"A  word  with  you,"  said  Follingsbee,  touching 
Pu-lun  on  the  shoulder.  "Does  that  other  door 
open  on  the  rear  of  the  house?" 

"The  house  has  but  one  entrance,"  replied 
the  old  man  quickly. 

"Has  the  room  in  there  a  window  looking  onto 
the  back?" 

"No,"  came  again  the  quick  reply. 

But  Follingsbee  determined  to  see  for  himself 
and  stepped  toward  the  door.  Pu-lun  seized  his 
arm.  "It  is  but  a  closet — small,  windowless, 
except  for  a  narrow  aperture  admitting  light. 
If  you  wish  to  leave  my  house,  why  do  you  not 
go  as  you  entered — by  the  entrance  door?" 

' '  Because  it  is  too  late.     Hark !' ' 

The  noise  had  increased  without. 

The  old  man  listened  unmoved.  "The  beggars 
are  in  the  village — they  came  early  this  morning. 
My  miserable  house  will  not  be  molested — they 
know  that  I  and  my  friends  have  nothing  worth 
the  taking." 

"The  beggars  have  gone.  It  is  the  Chief 
Eunuch  and  his  attendants  that  you  hear." 

Still  the  old  man  remained  unconcerned.  "If 
it  is  the  Chief  Eunuch — which  I  doubt,  for  it 
lacks  three  days  of  the  usual  time  of  his  coming — 
he  is  on  the  way  to  his  villa  and  the  people  are 
greeting  him." 

"He  is  leaving — not  going  to  his  villa — nor  are 


In  the  Hut  of  a  "  Devil's  Pupil "     399 

the  people  greeting  him.  They  are  conducting 
him  to  your  house, "  returned  Follingsbee. 

The  old  man's  agitation  became  suddenly 
extreme.  "Conducting  him  to  my  house!  The 
Chief  Eunuch  coming  here!"  he  cried.  And 
raising  his  voice,  he  repeated  again  louder,  "The 
Chief  Eunuch  coming  here!" 

The  door  of  the  adjoining  room  opened;  a  young 
man  appeared  on  the  threshold.  His  delicate 
patrician  face  seemed  to  command  instant  respect. 
Follingsbee  had  advanced  threateningly  when  he 
first  saw  him,  then  involuntarily  stood  still. 
But  when  he  detected  a  second  face,  with  thin, 
womanish  features,  peering  out  from  the  back 
ground,  he  demanded,  "What  are  you  doing 
here?" 

"So  you  are  Fen-Sha?"  said  the  young  man, 
ignoring  the  question.  His  voice  was  in  keeping 
with  his  face ;  it  was  indicative  of  birth  and  culture. 

Hearing  his  name,  Fen-Sha  jumped  to  his  feet 
and  turned  to  see" who  had  spoken,  but  Follingsbee 
replied, ' '  I  am  not  Fen-Sha,  nor  have  you  answered 
me.  What  are  you  doing  here  ?" 

An  amused  look  came  into  the  handsome  face. 
"Well,  I  am  glad  you  are  not  he.  Your  speech 
and  your  enunciation  are  atrociously  bad." 

With  a  quick  step  he  approached  the  K'ang  and 
glanced  with  lively  interest  at  A-lu-te.  He  nodded 
reassuringly  to  her  when  she  opened  her  eyes  and 
looked  up  at  him  and  indicated  his  desire  that  she 
should  not  attempt  to  rise.  Then  he  bent  his 


4OO         The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

keen  intelligent  gaze  upon  Fen-Sha.  The  two 
men  looked  at  each  other  a  moment  in  silence. 

"It  seems,"  said  Kuang  Hsu,  "that  she  has 
succeeded  after  all.  I  hope  you  are  worth  the 
dangers  she  encountered  and  those  she  must 
still  encounter. ' ' 

"Who  are  you?"  stammered  Fen-Sha. 

"I?  Oh,  I  am  only  the  Emperor."  The  smile 
in  Kuang  Hsu's  large  dark  eyes  was  reflected  in 
his  voice. 

"The  Emperor!"  exclaimed  Fen-Sha  and 
dropped  upon  his  knees. 

Notwithstanding  his  amazement,  Follingsbee 
did  not  doubt  the  extraordinary  assertion  of  this 
strange  young  man.  He  turned  to  see  that 
Pu-lun  also  was  kneeling. 

"Your  Majesty,"  said  the  old  man,  "your  ser 
vant  entreats  you  to  retire  again — the  Chief 
Eunuch  is  on  his  way  here." 

"So  you  have  said  before.  Well,  then,  let  him 
come, — as  indeed  he  seems  to  be  doing  with 
considerable  noise, "  remarked  the  Emperor  coolly. 

S'ang  now  stepped  from  the  inner  room;  he 
too  pleaded  with  the  Emperor  not  to  let  the  Chief 
Eunuch  find  him  there. 

"We  implore  your  Majesty  to  await  in  the  inner 
room  Li  Lien  Ying's  departure.  He  will  not  look 
farther  when  he  finds  those  he  is  seeking  here." 
And  S'ang  pointed  to  A-lu-te  lying  on  the  K'ang. 
What  more  fitting  than  that  she  should  be  sacri 
ficed,  if  by  so  doing  the  Emperor  were  spared  the 


In  the  Hut  of  a  "Devil's  Pupil"     401 

evil  machinations  of  the  powerful  Chief  Eunuch! 
S'ang,  himself,  would  willingly  have  given  his  own 
life  for  such  a  purpose.  Would  an  imperial 
concubine  do  less? 

Apparently  A-lu-te  was  of  the  same  opinion, 
for,  in  a  feeble  voice,  she  joined  her  entreaties  to 
those  of  the  eunuch. 

Fen-Sha  was  still  prostrate  and  said  not  a  word. 

Kuang  Hsu  looked  from  one  to  the  other. 
"It  is  my  will  to  remain  and  meet  the  Chief 
Eunuch  here,  "  he  said.  "No — not  a  word.  " 

He  turned  to  A-lu-te.  "Relate  rapidly  all  that 
has  occurred." 

In  a  low  voice,  stopping  every  now  and  again  to 
get  breath  in  her  sick  body,  A-lu-te  told  him. 

He  did  not  interrupt  her  narrative.  When  she 
spoke  of  Tsing's  memorial  and  the  Empress 
Dowager's  decision  to  await  its  arrival  in  the 
Palace  before  she  decided  upon  her  punishment, 
he  listened  with  a  certain  strained  attention  which 
yet  gave  the  impression  that  he  was  pursuing  a 
train  of  thought  of  his  own.  And  when  A-lu-te 
expressed  her  conviction  that  the  Chief  Eunuch 
had  deliberately  permitted  her  to  escape  in  order 
to  seize  her  outside  the  Palace  walls  and  contrive 
her  death  without  the  Empress  Dowager's  know 
ledge,  Kuang  Hsu  nodded  comprehendingly.  She 
told  him  of  her  capture  in  the  Inn  of  Peace  and 
Security  and  of  being  bound  and  thrown  into 
a  dark,  slimy  grotto  in  the  garden  of  Li's  villa. 

"It  was  well  planned,"  murmured  the  Emperor 
26 


4O2          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

to  himself,  "also  Li's  fear  must  have  been  great. 
Does  he  know  with  certainty  that  which  I  now 
suspect?  How  can  I  find  out ?" 

A  thought  came  into  his  mind,  a  thought 
which  grew  with  increasing  rapidity,  till,  sud 
denly,  it  became  a  full-formed  plan,  and  one  which 
seemed  to  offer  him  much  entertainment,  for  he 
smiled  repeatedly.  When  A-lu-te  concluded  her 
pathetic  tale,  he  said : 

"Rise  all  of  you,  and  you,  Fen-Sha,  listen  to 
my  words.  "I  will  protect  this  lady  from  Li  Lien 
Ying  on  one  condition ;  refuse  that  condition  and 
I,  myself,  will  return  her  to  the  Summer  Palace 
to  the  safe  keeping  of  her  Majesty,  the  Empress 
Dowager." 

"The  safe-keeping  of  the  Empress  Dowager,*' 
replied  Fen-Sha  bitterly,  "is  another  mode  of 
saying — the  jaws  of  death." 

The  Emperor  shook  his  head.  "I  do  not  think 
so, "  he  said  quietly,  "but  in  any  case  my  purpose 
is  clear  to  you.  Decide." 

"The  condition,  your  Majesty?"  asked  Fen- 
Sha  and  even  as  he  spoke  he  moved  nearer  the 
K'ang.  There  was  refusal  in  his  attitude,  a 
determination  to  defend  A-lu-te  with  his  last 
breath  spoke  from  every  muscle  in  his  tense 
body. 

The  Emperor  frowned.  "You  refuse  already 
and  without  waiting  to  hear  what  you  refuse. 
You  are  devoid  of  reason ;  your  firmness  is  only  the 
dogged  stupidity  of  a  man  who  trusts  no  one  but 


In  the  Hut  of  a  "  Devil's  Pupil "     403 

himself.  Such  a  one  is  better  under  the  ground 
than  on  top  of  it,  for  he  invites  calamities,  not 
only  upon  himself  but  upon  his  family  and  his 
friends.  The  wise  man  trusts  everyone  until 
he  has  cause  not  to.  In  this  way  he  maintains 
the  dignity,  the  honour,  of  his  race  and  serves 
Heaven  and  his  fellow-beings." 

A  flush  spread  over  Fen-Sha's  face. 

"Your  Majesty,  tell  me  the  condition,  and  do 
not,  I  entreat  you,  forget  in  the  telling  that  this 
maiden  risked  her  life  for  me." 

"You  are  to  go  in  yonder  inner  room  and  take 
with  you  that  uncouth-tongued  fellow  over 
there" — pointing  to  Follingsbee.  "You  are  to 
keep  the  door,  as  well  as  your  ears,  tight  shut, 
until  I  send  for  you." 

Still  Fen-Sha  hesitated.  He  felt  A-lu-te's  soft 
hand  closing  over  his,  and  her  voice  beseeching 
him:  "Go,  Fen-Sha;  trust  his  Majesty  as  I,  your 
betrothed,  have  already  trusted  him." 

"I  go  then,"  replied  Fen-Sha,  pressing  her  little 
hand  once  to  his  forehead.  He  turned  and 
walked  slowly  into  the  inner  room,  beckoning 
Follingsbee  to  follow. 

"S'ang,"  said  the  Emperor,  "go  with  him. 
See  to  it  that  their  ears  are  kept  tight  shut." 

The  eunuch  flung  himself  on  his  knees.  "Let 
your  slave  remain  with  your  Gracious  Majesty, 
for  you  may  need  his  services." 

It  was  plain  that  S'ang  was  afraid  to  leave  the 
Emperor  alone  with  the  Chief  Eunuch. 


404         The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

"It  is  my  wish,"  returned  the  Emperor  shortly 
— and  added,  kindly,  "Have  no  fear  for  me. 
Moreover  remember  that  if  Li  Lien  Ying  sees  you 
here,  he  will  find  a  quick  method  of  for  ever 
relieving  me  of  your  services.  Go." — 

The  door  had  scarcely  closed  behind  the  eunuch, 
when  the  outer  door  was  burst  open  and  the  dark, 
scowling  face  of  the  Chief  Eunuch  was  framed  in 
the  worm-eaten  wood  of  the  threshold. 

Behind  him  stood  his  attendants  and  a  crowd 
of  villagers. 

The  Emperor  had  seated  himself  on  the  K'ang 
upon  which  A-lu-te  had  again  sunk,  overcome  by 
weakness.  But  Pu-lun  had  stationed  himself  im 
mediately  in  front  of  his  sovereign,  and  it  was 
he,  therefore,  upon  whom  Li's  small  baneful 
eyes  rested.  "Seize  him, "  he  rasped  out. 

Two  men  rushed  forward  to  obey  the  order. 

A  kick  landed  one  of  them  into  the  middle  of 
the  room,  and  an  imperious  voice  said,  "  Put  those 
dogs  out  and  close  the  door.  I  would  have  speech 
with  you." 

At  the  sound  of  this  voice,  the  Chief  Eunuch's 
face  became  pale;  on  his  forehead  beads  of  sweat 
broke  out  and  trickled  into  his  eyes.  He  brushed 
his  hands  across  his  brow  as  one  in  a  daze.  The 
men  amazed  at  the  haughty  words  of  the  young 
stranger,  and  the  apprehensive  appearance  of  the 
powerful  eunuch,  slunk  from  the  room  without 
waiting  to  be  ejected  and  joined  the  curious 
crowd  outside. 


In  the  Hut  of  a  "  Devil's  Pupil "     405 

But  when  the  Chief  Eunuch  saw  A-lu-te's 
terror-stricken  face,  his  equanimity  was  restored. 
His  lips  curled  in  a  sneer. 

The  Emperor  spoke  again  haughtily.  "You 
are  forgetting  the  majesty  of  the  Imperial 
Presence." 

Very  leisurely  Li  sank  on  his  knees  to  make 
obeisance. 

"I  crave  your  Majesty's  pardon;  how  could  I  be 
sure  it  was  indeed  the  august  presence  in  this  vile 
hut?  The  Empress  Dowager  will  scarcely  believe 
the  utterance  of  my  tongue,  when  I  inform  her." 

' '  There  are  other  matters  of  transcendent  impor 
tance  she  will  find  greater  difficulty  in  believing, 
but  the  proofs  which  are  here" — he  touched  his 
pocket — "will  convince  her.  Your  sands,  Li, 
are  running  out,"  said  the  Emperor  menacingly. 

"Will  your  Majesty  deign  to  explain?  "  asked  the 
Chief  Eunuch,  and  he  was  astonished  to  feel  again 
a  sense  of  fear  creeping  over  him.  How  came  the 
puppet  Emperor  here  and  what  knowledge  had 
he  of  Tsing's  adopted  daughter? 

"A  thunderbolt  sent  from  heaven  stops  not  to 
explain  when  it  strikes.  Answer  me — Why  did 
you  connive  at  the  escape  of  this  lady  from  the 
Summer  Palace?  " 

The  Chief  Eunuch  looked  with  malice  upon 
A-lu-te  and  replied,  "I  did  not." 

"You  lie.  Why  did  you  withhold  from  her 
Majesty,  the  Empress  Dowager,  the  knowledge 
that  Ho- Shu  had  seized  the  runaway  in  the  Inn 


406          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

of  Peace  and  Security  and  thrown  her,  by  your 
order,  in  a  vile  grotto  in  the  garden  of  your  villa 
where  she  lay  more  dead  than  living  until  today? " 

The  Chief  Eunuch  had  regained  his  composure. 
His  fears  that  the  Emperor  was  in  possession  of 
the  secret  he  had  taken  such  precaution  to  insure, 
were  allayed.  He  believed  that  Kuang  Hsu's 
interest  in  the  affair  was  only  that  of  a  young 
man  suddenly  awakened  to  feminine  charm.  It 
was  a  danger  the  Old  Buddha  had  foreseen  if  this 
girl  were  permitted  to  meet  him.  Also,  the  fact 
that  the  Emperor  had  slipped  from  the  Forbidden 
City  incognito  and  had  entered  the  vile  abode  of 
a  "devil's  pupil" — for  such  he  knew  the  old  man 
Pu-lun  to  be,  the  villagers  having  so  informed 
him,  as  well  as  the  blatant  sign  on  the  fellow's 
door — would  so  inflame  the  wrath  of  the  Old 
Buddha  against  the  puppet  that  his  words  would 
have  no  weight.  As  for  the  girl — well,  he  would 
now  be  compelled  to  return  her  to  the  Summer 
Palace,  but  the  breath  would  be  out  of  her  body 
before  she  arrived.  He  would  see  to  that  himself. 

"Beyond  a  doubt  your  Majesty  has  been  mis 
informed  by  foul  and  lying  tongues.  It  is  true 
that  Ho- Shu  found  the  woman  and  brought  her 
for  safe-keeping  to  my  villa,  but  Ho-Shu,  on  his 
way  to  the  Palace,  was  basely  killed  by  unknown 
assailants.  His  dead  body  lies  now  in  my  villa 
awaiting  the  burial  his  noble  sacrifice  to  duty 
deserves.  My  house  was  broken  into  by  a  beggar 
horde  and  the  woman  escaped  again — by  whose 


In  the  Hut  of  a  "  Devil's  Pupil "     407 

assistance,  perhaps,  your  Majesty  knows  better 
than  I." 

There  was  venom  in  the  last  remark.  The 
subtlety  of  his  explanations  left  the  young  Emperor 
with  a  miserable  sense  of  helplessness  as  against  a 
foe  too  powerful,  too  crafty  to  be  downed.  But 
the  expression  on  his  handsome  face  remained 
unchanged.  He  possessed  more  than  the  usual 
oriental  capacity  for  concealing  his  feelings. 

"I  have  another  question  awaiting  your  lying 
tongue — What  have  you  done  with  Tsing's 
memorial?'* 

The  Chief  Eunuch  started  violently;  he  had  not 
been  prepared  for  this  question.  For  an  instant 
he  could  not  speak.  He  regarded  the  Emperor  in 
sudden  horrible  surmise.  Kuang  Hsu  knew! 
He  would  use  his  knowledge  to  arouse  the  bitter 
anger  of  the  Old  Buddha  against  him.  Twice 
within  the  last  two  days  she  had  threatened  him 
with  banishment.  It  had  required  all  his  diplo 
macy,  all  the  wiles  of  his  crafty  tongue  to  appease 
her.  If  she  now  heard  that  he  had  suppressed 
Tsing's  memorial  and  was  informed  by  the  Emperor 
of  its  contents,  nothing  would  save  him  from  her 
wrath.  Again  the  perspiration  rolled  on  his  cheeks. 

"I  do  not  know  what  your  Majesty  means," 
he  managed  to  jerk  out  with  a  semblance  of  com 
posure.  But  his  consternation  had  not  been  lost 
upon  young  Kuang  Hsu;  he  raised  his  hand  to  his 
mouth  to  conceal  the  smile  of  relief  and  satisfac 
tion  which  twitched  his  lips. 


408         The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

"You  lie  clumsily,"  he  said.  "An  end  to  this 
farce.  Know  then  that  I  have  in  my  possession 
the  original  draft  of  the  memorial  you  suppressed. 
Tsing  was  a  wise  man  in  taking  his  precautions, 
for  he  sent  this  draft  to  a  friend  with  instructions 
to  forward  it,  after  the  lapse  of  a  certain  number  of 
days,  to  me,  his  Sovereign  Lord,  with  the  statement 
that  the  memorial  had  already  been  presented  to 
the  Empress  Dowager.  It  reached  me  in  the  Yel 
low  City  this  morning.  Yesterday  her  Majesty 
was  still  anxiously  awaiting  the  document,  not 
knowing  that  the  courier  had  brought  it  to  the 
Summer  Palace  long  since ;  that  it  got  as  far  as  your 
hands  and  no  farther.  What  have  you  to  say?" 

The  Chief  Eunuch  stared  sullenly  before  him. 
He  reflected  furiously  that  at  last  the  hour  of  the 
puppet  Emperor's  triumph  had  struck,  and  his 
own  power  in  the  Palace  would,  before  the  sun 
dropped  in  the  horizon,  be  no  stronger  than  autumn 
thistledown.  It  mattered  not  whether  the  girl 
lying  motionless  on  the  K'ang  lived  or  died, 
either  way,  she  had  brought  ruin  upon  him,  for 
the  Old  Buddha  would  as  soon  tear  her  eyes  from 
their  sockets  as  forgive  him  this  offence  against 
the  majesty  of  her  authority,  and  the  crime  against 
the  mother-love  crying  in  her  heart.  All  at  once 
he  remembered  his  treasure  vault.  It  contained 
sufficient  wealth  to  insure  a  life  of  luxury  to  the 
end  of  his  days.  Why  then  wait  to  be  banished — 
or  what  was  quite  as  likely,  decapitated?  He 
would  hasten  back  to  the  villa,  take  his  gold,  and 


In  the  Hut  of  a  "Devil's  Pupil"    409 

leave  the  country.  He  would  live  in  Japan 
surrounded  by  every  comfort  money  could  pur 
chase.  Perhaps,  after  a  time,  the  Old  Buddha 
would  relent,  and — but  the  puppet  Emperor 
was  speaking  again — curse  him  and  the  girl  too 
— what  was  he  saying  now? 

"It  is  apparent  that  you  do  not  know  what  to 
say.  I  therefore  will  assist  you.  You  will, 
without  delay,  inform  the  Lady  A-lu-te  of  the 
contents  of  Tsing's  memorial.  Omit  the  smallest 
detail  and  I  will  present  the  original  draft  in  my 
possession  this  very  day  to  the  Empress  Dowager 
and  tonight  your  head  will  sleep  in  the  western 
confines  of  the  Palace  grounds  and  your  feet  in  its 
uttermost  eastern  limits.  Proceed." 

The  look  of  a  crouching  wild  beast  gleamed  from 
the  eyes  of  the  Chief  Eunuch.  Kuang  Hsu  saw 
that  look  and  smiled  mockingly.  He  was  no 
longer  afraid  of  Li.  He  was  playing  a  game  in 
which  he  knew  his  opponent  would  be  checkmated 
in  the  next  move.  Here  was  one  of  the  moments 
in  his  life  when  the  Emperor  was  the  Emperor  and 
the  servant  was  the  servant.  He  waited  with 
haughty  leniency,  though  inwardly  aflame,  while 
he  granted  the  Chief  Eunuch  time  for  thought. 

A-lu-te  had  gradually  shifted  her  gaze  from  the 
Emperor,  where  she  had  sought  and  found  courage, 
to  the  face  of  her  enemy.  With  a  chill  which  had 
in  it  something  of  foreknowledge  she  too  waited 
for  Li  to  speak, — a  quivering  expectant  hush  was 
in  the  little  room. 


4i o         The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

Finally,  in  a  voice  which  he  scarcely  recognized 
as  his  own,  a  voice  which,  dull,  low,  lifeless,  seemed 
to  be  reciting  words  from  a  printed  page,  the 
Chief  Eunuch  repeated  Tsing's  memorial. 

Kuang  Hsu  strained  forward  not  to  lose  a 
syllable  of  his  speech. 

But  A-lu-te  slipped  from  the  K'ang  and  stood 
with  hands  pressed  to  her  bosom,  lips  apart, 
breathing  quickly  as  one  who  has  been  running. 
Once  the  Emperor  turned  to  look  at  her;  he  was 
startled  by  the  play  of  emotion  depicted  on  her 
face. 

A-lu-te  understood  at  last  why  her  heart  had 
gone  out  to  the  Great  Old  Buddha,  why  she  never 
could  learn  to  hate  her.  Her  mother!  She  broke 
into  low  sobbing. 

The  Chief  Eunuch  ceased  speaking. 

"You  have  heard, "  said  the  Emperor  exultingly, 
addressing  A-lu-te.  "It  now  remains  for  you  to 
decide."  And  he  asked  almost  pleadingly,  "Will 
you  return  with  me  to  the  Summer  Palace?" 

4 '  Return ?  No !  no ! "  she  answered  vehemently, 
only  to  add  quickly,  "And  yet — oh,  I  long  to  see 
her — to  call  her  'Mother' — to  hear  again  her 
tender  voice  caressing  me  when  she  was  pleased 
with  me.  Oh!  Mother!  Mother!"  She  fell  to 
weeping  violently.  With  an  effort  she  controlled 
herself.  "Is  your  Majesty  convinced  that  she  is 
indeed  ignorant  of  my  identity?"  she  asked. 

"  She  does  not  know;  yet  the  knowledge  is  in  her 
heart.  That  she  loves  you,  you  yourself  have 


In  the  Hut  of  a  "Devil's  Pupil"     411 

felt,  for  even  in  your  disgrace  Li  Lien  Ying  could 
not  induce  her  to  punish  you.  If  you  return 
and  the  contents  of  Tsing's  memorial  are  made 
known  to  her,  your  place  in  the  Palace  will  be 
supreme.  As  for  Li,  if  he  is  permitted  to  remain 
above  ground,  you  may  be  sure  it  will  not  be  in 
the  Summer  Palace  or  in  Peking.  In  the  great 
desert  of  Gobi  are  mean  and  wretched  villages 
where  such  as  he  are  sometimes  given  shelter  for 
the  remainder  of  their  worthless  lives." 

While  Kuang  Hsu  was  speaking  the  Chief 
Eunuch  listened,  firmly  resolved  to  carry  out  his 
hastily  formed  plan  of  escape  without  delay. 

He  did  not  know  that  at  that  very  moment 
the  servants  left  in  his  villa,  after  locking  the 
women  in  their  apartments,  had  robbed  his  treasure 
vault  and  were  riding  on  his  mules  and  horses 
at  breakneck  speed  away  from  Yang-lin. 

The  Emperor's  next  words  caused  him  to  relax 
suddenly  and  wait  eagerly  for  A-lu-te's  decision. 

"Your  choice, "  continued  the  Emperor,  "must 
be  made  here  in  this  hut  and,  once  made,  it 
can  never  be  altered.  Reflect,  therefore,  carefully 
before  you  decide.  Will  you  defy  your  hereditary 
element ;  will  you  choose  poverty,  disgrace,  banish 
ment,  or  wealth,  luxury,  power,  the  love  of  a  great 
Empress,  and  the  certainty  of  the  punishment  of  a 
contemptible  enemy?  " 

It  may  be  that  Kuang  Hsu  hoped  her  decision 
would  give  him  at  the  court  of  his  imperial  aunt  a 
valuable  ally  and  friend — and  Heaven  knew  he  was 


412          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

sorely  in  need  of  one — or  it  may  be  he  was  frankly 
curious  to  test  the  strength  of  her  affection  for  her 
lover,  now  that  she  knew  herself  to  be  a  royal 
princess,  a  member  of  the  imperial  family.  He 
added  that  if  she  elected  to  follow  the  fortunes  of  a 
disgraced  man — he  took  care  not  to  allude  directly 
to  Fen-Sha  — then  she  must  swear  never  to  divulge 
to  a  living  soul  the  secret  of  her  birth.  If  she 
failed  to  keep  her  oath,  she  would  be  supplying  the 
political  friends  of  her  adopted  father  with  a 
weapon  to  bring  disgrace  not  only,upon  her  mother, 
the  Empress  Dowager,  but  upon  the  Manchu 
Dynasty.  For  such  base  conduct  the  curse  of 
Heaven  would  descend  upon  her  and  her  sons — 
if  she  bore  any — and  her  sons*  sons — and  also 
upon  all  her  ancestors. 

As  the  Chief  Eunuch  listened,  he  realized  that 
if  she  linked  her  fate  with  that  of  her  lover — 
then  he,  Li  Lien  Ying,  could  with  perfect  security 
return  to  the  Palace,  and  Kuang  Hsu  would  be 
powerless  to  injure  him,  for  he  too  would  be  impli 
cated  in  the  plot  of  withholding  from  the  Old 
Buddha  all  knowledge  of  her  daughter's  existence. 
The  sickening  physical  sense  of  dread — entirely 
new  in  his  experience  of  himself — which  had 
assailed  Li  twice  in  this  wretched  hut,  left  him. 
Without  knowing  why,  he  was  convinced  what 
answer  the  girl  would  give.  He  felt  safe  and  the 
puppet  Emperor,  he  told  himself,  was  even  more 
of  a  fool  than  he  had  taken  him  to  be,  in  that  he 
failed  to  embrace  the  only  opportunity  he  ever 


In  the  Hut  of  a  "Devil's  Pupil"    413 

had,  or  ever  would  have  again,  to  crush  his 
enemy. 

"My  choice  is  made,"  said  A-lu-te  in  a  low 
firm  voice.  "I  follow  him  who  is  in  disgrace, 
who  must  live  in  banishment." 

Something  plucked  at  certain  strings  untouched 
heretofore  at  Kuang  Hsu's  heart.  He  looked  at 
her  with  young  eyes  which  had  never  known 
happiness  and  a  sigh,  involuntary,  unsuppressed, 
escaped  from  him. 

"You  have  decided,  then.     Now  swear." 

And  A-lu-te  swore  to  keep  hidden  for  ever  the 
secret  of  her  birth. 

For  once  in  his  life,  the  Chief  Eunuch  forgot 
his  malice,  his  thirst  for  revenge.  He  was  indeed 
almost  tempted  to  thank  A-lu-te.  He  thought 
better  of  it  however  and  waited  silently  until  it 
should  please  the  Emperor  to  address  him.  He 
had  not  long  to  wait. 

"Open  the  door  and  disperse  the  people.  You 
are  not  to  return, "  said  Kuang  Hsu. 

Now  there  was  something  the  Chief  Eunuch 
wished  to  make  sure  of  before  he  left. 

As  long  as  that  draft  of  Tsing's  memorial 
remained  in  the  Emperor's  possession  he  could  not 
return  to  the  Palace  with  any  feeling  of  security. 
There  was  always  the  chance  that  at  some  future 
period  Kuang  Hsu  would  determine  to  ruin  him 
by  giving  the  document  to  the  Empress  Dowager. 
That  draft,  therefore,  must  be  destroyed. 

"Your  Majesty,"   he   spoke  with  impertinent 


414          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

composure,  "there  is  a  little  matter  which  you 
have  forgotten.  May  your  servant  remind  you 
of  it?" 

"Speak, "  said  the  Emperor,  frowning. 

"That  draft  of  Tsing's  memorial — your  Majesty 
has  not  destroyed  it." 

The  frown  in  Kuang  Hsu's  face  disappeared. 
He  raised  his  eyebrows  and  smiled  as  if  amused 
by  a  sudden  thought. 

"Ah,  to  be  sure — I  had  forgotten  it.  But  no 
matter — it  is  not  my  intention  to  destroy  the 
draft." 

"Your  Majesty  had  best  reconsider,"  warned  the 
Chief  Eunuch,  and  added  slowly,  that  his  words 
might  sink  in,  "If  it  is  not  destroyed  here,  now, 
it  will  be  the  duty  of  your  servant  to  inform  the 
Great  Old  Buddha  of  all  that  has  transpired  in 
this  place  this  morning." 

A-lu-te  uttered  a  faint  cry,  but  Kuang  Hsu  only 
continued  to  smile  amusedly.  "You  are  then,  it 
seems,  determined  to  risk  losing  your  head  after 
all,"  he  commented  pleasantly. 

Li  glared  at  him  with  a  look  of  concentrated 
hate.  "The  risk  is  great,  no  doubt,"  he  replied, 
"but  what  of  that?  If  I  tell,  there  are  others 
here  also  who  will  be  as  a  lighted  candle  between 
open  doors.  If  I  keep  silent  and  Tsing's  draft  is 
not  destroyed  what  assurance  have  I  that  it  will 
not  be  used  some  day  against  me?" 

The  Emperor  laughed  softly.  "Ah!  So!  Blows 
the  wind  from  that  quarter?  Well,  compose 


In  the  Hut  of  a  "Devil's  Pupil"    415 

yourself,  your  fears  are  groundless."  He  laughed 
again. 

Li  scowled.  He  did  not  like  this  ebullition  of 
gaiety,  the  reason  for  which  he  failed  to  compre 
hend. 

11  Shall  I  tell  you  why,  Li?"  the  Emperor  asked 
suddenly. 

Something  in  his  manner  and  mocking  speech 
made  the  Chief  Eunuch  ponder  uneasily. 

"Why,  then?"  he  enquired.  There  was  less 
assurance  in  his  voice  than  before. 

"Because,"  returned  the  Emperor  gaily,  "be 
cause  I  have  received  no  draft,  because,  as  far  as 
I  know,  Tsing  did  not  write  or  send  a  draft,  because 
my  knowledge  of  his  memorial  addressed  to  the 
Empress  Dowager  dates  from  this  hour,  and  my 
knowledge  of  its  contents  comes  from  your  own 
lips." 

The  Chief  Eunuch  stared  at  him  dumb  with 
anger.  His  lips  twitched;  his  writhing  face  grew 
deathly  pale.  Clearly  the  Emperor  had  spoken 
the  truth  and  he,  Li  Lien  Ying,  had  played  into 
his  hands  like  any  fool!  He  ground  his  teeth. 
Then  his  rage  gave  place  to  a  sense  of  terror,  and 
amazement  that  this  young  man  for  whose 
capabilities — except  as  a  scholar — he  had  enter 
tained  the  liveliest  contempt  should  not  only 
have  outwitted  him  but  forced  him,  by  his  own 
words,  to  betray  himself.  He  was  no  longer  the 
puppet  to  be  scorned;  he  was  an  enemy  to  be 
feared. 


4i 6          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

But  the  humour  of  the  situation  had  endured 
long  enough  for  Kuang  Hsu. 

"Open  the  door,"  he  commanded,  "and  dis 
perse  the  people  outside.  You  are  not  to 
return." 

Mechanically  the  Chief  Eunuch  obeyed.  The 
next  minute  his  shrill  harsh  voice  could  be  heard 
ordering  the  men  to  return  to  their  work  and  the 
women  to  their  household  duties. 

Inside  the  hut,  Pu-lun,  obeying  an  imperative 
signal  from  the  Emperor,  summoned  Fen-Sha 
from  the  inner  room.  Addressing  himself  to  the 
young  reformer,  Kuang  Hsu  said,  "It  is  my 
desire  that  you  leave  the  Empire  without  delay. 
You  are  to  go  to  Kobe  and  to  return  only  at  such 
a  time  as  I  shall  indicate  in  the  future.  You  will 
have  a  companion  in  exile  whose  character  is  full 
of  gentleness,  love,  and  loyalty  to  her  duty.  You 
will  therefore  never  give  her  cause  to  regret  going 
with  you.  You  will  live  with  her  in  perfect  har 
mony  nor  by  word  or  deed  sadden  her  heart. 
You  have  heard  her  say  she  is  a  believer  in  the 
God  of  the  Western  World,  the  God  of  the  for 
eigner.  Pu-lun  is  a  priest  of  that  faith.  He  will 
perform  the  ceremony  of  marriage  between  you 
here  in  my  presence." 

At  these  words,  Fen-Sha  threw  himself  with 
vehemence  at  the  feet  of  the  Emperor.  "Your 
Majesty  has  given  his  servant  not  life  alone,  but 
happiness.  May  Heaven  grant  your  Majesty 
length  of  days  and  may  your  fame  grow  till  it 


In  the  Hut  of  a  "Devil's  Pupil "     417 

illumines  every  dark  place  in  this  land  our  ances 
tors  have  taught  us  to  love." 

A-lu-te  had  prostrated  herself  beside  Fen-Sha 
while  she  too  thanked  the  Emperor  by  repeatedly 
knocking  her  head  on  the  floor. 

Kuang  Hsu  beckoned  the  venerable  "  little 
assistant  to  Jesus. " 

"Proceed,"  he  ordered  curtly. 

The  old  man  approached  holding  in  his  hand  a 
gourd  filled  with  water.  He  sprinkled  a  few 
drops  upon  the  bowed  head  of  A-lu-te.  "I  bap 
tize  you  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  the  Son, 
and  the  Spirit,  Amen." 

Turning  to  Fen-Sha  he  said  solemnly,  "Son,  will 
you  also  become  a  follower  of  Christ?" 

Fen-Sha  replied :  "  He  is  a  God  of  Mercy  and  of 
Justice.  Baptize  me  into  the  Faith." 

Pu-lun  baptized  him;  having  done  so  he  joined 
the  hands  of  Fen-Sha  and  A-lu-te  and,  reading  the 
marriage  ceremony,  pronounced  them  man  and 
wife. 

All  the  while  Kuang  Hsu  sat  with  an  inscrutable 
expression  upon  his  clear-cut  handsome  face. 

When  the  young  married  pair  turned  to  him 
again  with  shining  grateful  eyes,  he  drew  from 
his  belt  a  well-filled  purse  and  placing  it  on  the 
K'ang,  said,  "The  bride  must  not  come  to  her 
husband  empty-handed.  She  is  without  the  cus 
tomary  presents — the  contents  of  this  purse  will 
serve  to  purchase  them." 

He  called  S'ang — who,  with  Follingsbee,  had 
27 


4i 8          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

been  a  delighted  spectator  to  this  scene.  "  Come, " 
he  said,  "it  is  time."  With  a  graceful  wave  of  his 
hand  and  without  another  word  he  left  the  hut. 
A  few  minutes  later  a  blue-topped  cart  was  driven 
rapidly  out  of  the  village  of  Yang-lin. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

BECAUSE  OF  LLA  THE  BACTRIAN  CAMEL 

LONG  after  dark  that  same  day,  a  shabby 
country  cart,  drawn  by  a  mule  well  past  his  prime, 
was  moving  along  the  highway  toward  Peking. 

In  the  cart  reclining  on  soft  cushions  was  A-lu-te. 
She  was  clad  in  clean  garments  procured  for  her  in 
the  village  by  Pu-lun.  She  was  smiling  happily, 
her  eyes  seeking  ever  those  of  Fen-Sha  who  walked 
close  beside  the  cart. 

Follingsbee  strode  at  the  head  of  the  mule  to 
guide  and  urge  him  onward.  The  road  was 
empty.  The  country-folk  who  took  their  products 
to  the  city  were  still  asleep.  Fen-Sha  and  A-lu-te 
conversed  together  in  low  tones.  The  dreadful 
past  lay  behind  them;  the  future  held  forth  pro 
mises  of  a  new  life  of  blissful  happiness. 

Once,  and  once  only,  A-lu-te  after  a  long,  sweet 
silence  sighed  sadly. 

"What  is  it,  my  A-lu-te ?"  asked  Fen-Sha  anx 
iously.  She  was  still  weak  and  he  feared  for  her. 

"  It  is  nothing,  beloved.  My  thoughts  wandered 
for  a  moment  from  you  and  carried  me  back  to  the 
Summer  Palace  and  the  Empress  Dowager." 

419 


420          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

"  My  Lotus  Bud,  forget  those  terrible  days  and 
with  them  that  sinful  old  woman." 

A-lu-te  placed  her  little  hand  on  his  arm  and 
said  in  a  quivering  voice:  "Fen-Sha,  you  are  the 
heart  of  my  heart,  the  best  beloved  in  the  world 
to  me.  For  your  sake  I  am  ever  ready  to  give  my 
life.  Knowing  this  will  you  make  me  one  small 
promise?" 

Pressing  her  slender  hand  to  his  breast,  he 
answered,  "I  promise,  my  A-lu-te.  Tell  me  what 
you  would  have  me  do?" 

"Only  this,"  her  tones  trembled  with  suppressed 
emotion:  " never  again,  my  beloved,  never  again 
speak  of  the  Empress  Dowager  except  with  rever 
ence  and  kindliness.  You  will  promise  your 
A-lu-te  this?" 

Astonishment  seized  him  at  a  request  which  to 
him  was  strange  beyond  comprehension.  But  he 
attributed  it  to  the  fevered  fancy  of  one  weakened 
by  past  suffering.  He  soothed  her  with  gentle 
words,  promising  all  she  asked.  Then,  still 
holding  each  other's  hands,  they  began  to  dream 
of  the  future. 

Dawn  was  breaking  when  they  approached 
Peking.  It  was  the  plan  of  Fen-Sha  to  conceal 
A-lu-te  in  the  house  of  her  old  amah  while  he 
made  needful  arrangements  for  their  journey  to 
Tientsin  where  they  would  board  a  steamer  for 
Japan. 

While  they  waited  for  the  huge  city  gates  to 
swing  back  on  their  iron  hinges  and  admit  again 


Because  of  Lla  the  Bactrian  Camel  421 

the  outer  world  to  the  capital  of  the  Celestial 
Empire,  A-lu-te  summoned  Follingsbee  to  her 
side. 

She  greeted  him  with  a  manner  so  gracious 
and  winning  and  again  thanked  him  with  so  much 
proud  humility  for  all  he  had  done  for  Fen-Sha 
and  herself,  that  he  could  only  marvel  at  the  charm 
of  her. 

Follingsbee  did  not  enter  the  city  with  his 
companions. 

"I  have  an  errand  in  a  village, "  he  said  as  the 
gates  swung  wide. 

"An  errand?"  puzzled  Fen-Sha. 

But  Follingsbee  offered  no  explanations,  and 
evinced  such  keen  impatience  to  be  off,  Fen-Sha 
did  not  seek  to  detain  him.  It  was  only  later  in 
the  day  when,  leaving  A-lu-te  in  the  humble 
home  of  her  old  amah — who  hovered  delightedly 
about  her, — he  had  set  out  to  procure  a  boat  for 
their  river  journey,  that  it  suddenly  came  to 
him  wrhat  this  errand  was,  upon  which  Follingsbee 
had  gone. 

"The  Bactrian  camel!"  he  ejaculated. 

The  thought  disturbed  him.  Would  Follingsbee 
risk  the  danger  of  returning  to  Peking  on  a  white 
camel  of  the  breed  the  gate  guards  were  warned 
to  seize  together  with  its  rider?  He  did  not 
doubt  it.  Something  of  the  animal's  story  Follings 
bee  had  related  to  him  the  night  they  waited  in 
his  rooms  before  joining  the  beggars  in  their 
descent  upon  Yang-lin. 


422          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

Fen-Sha  knew  the  American  would  keep  his 
word  to  the  Mongol  owner  of  the  white  Bactrian 
camel.  Slowly  he  retraced  his  steps  to  the  old 
amah's  house.  He  and  A-lu-te  must  remain 
in  Peking  until  he  was  assured  of  his  friend's  safe 
return. 

Follingsbee  in  the  meanwhile  was  seeking  the 
village  where  Lla,  the  camel,  had  been  left.  In 
the  exciting  events  following  their  arrival  in  the 
capital  with  the  son  of  the  Beggar  King,  the  name 
of  the  place  had  gone  from  him  and  he  had  to 
travel  from  one  village  to  another  until  he  finally 
came  upon  it.  The  headman  kept  his  word;  the 
camel  was  turned  over  to  Follingsbee  on  the 
presentation  of  the  visiting  card.  News  did  not 
reach  the  large  inland  towns  with  any  degree  of 
rapidity,  and  far  less  the  small  villages  scattered 
over  the  great  Pechili  plain.  So  it  happened 
that  the  reward  offered  by  the  Peking  authorities 
for  the  arrest  of  any  man  riding  a  white  Bactrian 
racing  camel  was  still  unknown  to  the  country 
folk  of  this  district.  Before  leaving  the  village, 
Follingsbee  purchased  for  a  few  copper  cash  a  pot 
of  black  paint  and  provided  himself,  for  an  equally 
small  sum,  with  an  earthenware  receptacle,  some 
oil,  a  large  brush,  and  a  sack  of  salt.  These  pur 
chases  made,  he  fastened  them  securely  to  the 
saddle  of  the  camel,  mounted  the  beast,  and  rode 
leisurely  off. 

On  the  banks  of  a  small  sluggish  stream,  bordered 
with  tall  grass  and  well  away  from  all  habitations, 


Because  of  Lla  the  Bactrian  Camel  423 

he  alighted  and  alone  in  the  solitude  began  to 
occupy  himself  in  a  curious  manner. 

He  mixed  the  paint  in  the  earthenware  receptacle 
with  the  oil  and  stirred  the  contents  vigorously. 
When  the  consistency  of  this  black  liquid  compound 
suited  him,  he  seized  the  sack  of  salt  and,  first 
cautiously  "scrutinizing  the  landscape  in  every 
direction  to  assure  himself  that  he  was  alone  and 
unobserved,  he  approached  the  camel,  comfortably 
browsing  on  the  succulent  grass. 

"Sok!"  "Sok!"  he  cried,  and  at  the  word  the 
huge  ugly  creature  knelt  obediently,  though  with  a 
vicious  look  showing  in  the  corners  of  her  eyes. 

Follingsbee  opened  the  salt  sack  and  powdered 
its  contents  on  the  ground.  The  camel  set  to 
licking  up  the  salt  with  manifest  relish.  Fol 
lingsbee  seized  the  brush,  dipped  it  in  the  liquid 
paint  he  had  crudely  prepared,  and  applied  the 
first  splashy  stroke  to  the  camel's  dirty  white 
body.  He  was  interrupted  in  this  picturesque 
occupation  by  the  brute  herself  who  rose  up  writh 
mouth  savagely  opened  as  if  intent  upon  biting 
the  artist  and  changing  her  mind  dashed  madly 
off  over  the  plain. 

The  immediate  result  of  this  unexpected  flight 
was  to  leave  Follingsbee  staring  stupidly. 

To  pursue  the  camel  with  any  expectation  of 
catching  her  was  too  hopeless  to  be  worth  con 
templating.  He  watched  her  until  she  disappeared 
behind  a  hillock  in  the  distance. 

"Damn,"  said  Follingsbee,  then  broke  into  a 


424         The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

laugh.  He  reflected  philosophically  that  since 
he  had  lost  the  camel,  he  might  as  well  retain  what 
was  left  to  him,  namely  his  temper. 

He  threw  himself  on  the  ground  beside  his 
carefully  prepared  paint-pot  and  being  fatigued 
soon  fell  fast  asleep.  The  air  grew  cold  as  twilight 
fell  and  the  night  advanced.  Cramped  and 
chilled  Follingsbee  wakened  to  find  the  moon 
high  in  the  heavens  and  brightly  shining.  Very 
distinctly  he  heard  a  low  deep  bubbling  sound. 
He  turned  his  head  to  see  Lla  with  her  neck 
stretched  out  and  legs  curled  under  her,  resembling 
in  the  vague  light  of  the  moon  a  prehistoric 
monster.  She  had  returned  to  finish  her  feast  of 
salt. 

As  rapidly  as  was  consistent  with  cautious 
movement  Follingsbee  crept  towards  her  and 
seized  the  rope  attached  to  her  neck.  Lla  turned 
and  watched  him  suspiciously.  He  tied  her  neck 
and  forelegs  securely  together  and  having  done  so 
he  lost  no  time  in  again  applying  the  black  paint 
to  her  body.  For  a  while  the  camel  struggled 
frantically  to  release  her  fastenings,  then  with 
true  oriental  submission  to  fate,  became  passive 
and  fell  to  licking  up  the  salt  again. 

In  the  course  of  a  couple  of  hours  the  task  which 
Follingsbee  had  set  himself  was  completed  and 
Lla's  coat  was  transformed  from  a  dirty  white  to  a 
deep  smutty  black.  Follingsbee  stepped  back 
and  surveyed  his  work  with  satisfaction.  He  now 
gathered  some  brushwood  and  made  a  fire  near 


Because  of  Lla  the  Bactrian  Camel  425 

which  he  stretched  himself  and  once  more  slept. 
Soon  after  dawn  broke  he  was  up.  To  his  delight 
he  found  the  compost  on  Lla's  shaggy  coat  quite 
dry.  He  untied  the  ropes  which  fastened  her, 
seated  himself  in  the  saddle,  and  set  out  for  Peking 
where  he  arrived  a  few  minutes  before  the  opening 
of  the  gates.  A  caravan  from  the  north  was 
waiting  for  admittance  into  the  capital  and 
country  people  with  farm  products  in  baskets 
slung  on  long  poles  across  their  shoulders,  or  in 
panniers  on  the  backs  of  donkeys,  and  in  wheel 
barrows,  crowded  the  highroad. 

The  black  camel  and  her  rider  attracted  no 
attention.  Everyone  was  engrossed  in  a  more 
interesting  spectacle.  Three  wicker  cages  were 
being  suspended  from  the  wall ;  in  each  cage  was  a 
head,  one  of  them  hideous  beyond  conception. 
Follingsbee  looked  at  this  head,  and  as  he  looked, 
the  short,  matted  hair,  the  repulsive  features, 
the  deep,  sunken  sockets  resembling  dark,  crater- 
like  pits,  suddenly  grew  horribly  familiar.  Where 
had  he  seen  that  head  before  it  was  severed  from 
its  trunk?  Ah!  now  he  remembered;  it  was  the 
Beggar  King!  Upon  him  at  least  the  Chief 
Eunuch  had  had  his  full  and  prompt  revenge. 

The  gates  opened  and  in  the  wake  of  the 
caravan  Follingsbee  entered  the  city,  unchallenged 
by  the  guards,  who  did  not  cast  a  second  glance 
at  the  big  black  camel  he  was  riding. 

Before  he  passed  through  the  gates  he  saluted 
the  trunkless  head  in  the  centre  cage.  However 


426          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

vile  the  Beggar  King  might  have  been  in  life,  he 
had  at  least  not  failed  in  two  things  worthy  of 
respect:  He  had  repaid  a  debt  of  gratitude  and 
had  loyally  kept  a  promise. 

Follingsbee  made  his  way  to  the  Mongol  market. 

At  certain  seasons  of  the  year  this  market  has 
the  greatest  commercial  activity  of  any  place  in  the 
capital.  Here  are  unloaded  the  large  caravans, 
which  arrive  from  the  most  distant  part  of  the 
Empire.  The  uproar  and  confusion  at  this  time 
is  indescribable.  The  shrieking  of  the  camels 
mingles  with  the  bawling  of  the  buyers  and  sellers ; 
man  and  beast  seem  to  vie  with  each  other  to 
make  the  loudest  noise. 

Flat-faced  Mongols  with  scanty  beards,  promi 
nent  cheek  bones,  and  tint  of  saffron  display  their 
wares  with  rollicking  good  nature.  The  great 
leathern  boots  and  large  sheepskin  coats  give 
them  a  ponderous  look  in  strong  contrast  to  the 
agility  displayed  by  the  Chinese  merchants  of 
petty  shops,  threading  their  way  through  the 
crowded  market  appraising  with  cunning  eye  the 
exact  value  of  every  Mongol's  wares  the  better  to 
cheat  him  later.  These  were  the  sharks  of  the 
trade;  for  merchants  of  large  and  reputed  business 
establishments  were  not  given  to  dishonest 
trickery. 

Huge  rolls  of  handsome  furs  were  spread  out  on 
the  ground,  conical  piles  of  salt,  mushrooms  so 
enormous  they  resembled  the  tops  of  large  round 
teapoys.  Here  and  there  were  handsome  brass 


Because  of  Lla  the  Bactrian  Camel  427 

samovars  received  in  trade  from  some  travelling 
Russian  pedlars  in  the  northern  country.  But 
by  far  the  greatest  display  was  made  with  the 
sheep,  oxen,  mules,  horses,  and  camels  offered  for 
sale. 

The  Mongol  market  was  especially  noted  for  its 
trade  in  camels.  These  animals  were  ranged  in 
rows,  their  forefeet  raised  in  slight  dirt  elevations 
to  accentuate  their  height;  or  they  were  kneeling 
to  be  heavily  loaded  and  then  made  to  rise  to 
display  their  prodigious  strength. 

Among  those  who  were  examining  the  camels 
was  our  Mongol  friend,  the  owner  of  Lla. 

His  face  was  puckered  and  anxious  looking.  He 
had  long  since  bitterly  repented  having  permitted 
a  wayfaring  stranger  to  ride  off  on  his  favourite 
animal  in  order  to  prove  her  fleetness  and  to  win  a 
wager.  He  was  not  only  more  than  skeptical 
concerning  the  integrity  of  this  stranger,  but  his 
own  life  had  been  made  miserable  by  threats  of 
the  Bannerman  to  arrest  him  if  at  the  end  of  the 
week  the  rider  of  the  white  Bactrian  camel  did 
not  turn  up  at  the  Hotel  of  the  Five  Felicities, 
where  the  Bannerman  daily  lay  in  wait  for  him. 

The  last  day  but  one  had  arrived  and  the  Mon 
gol's  fear  of  arrest  had  augmented  to  such  a  degree 
that  he  determined  to  wait  no  longer  for  the  possi 
ble  return  of  the  beast,  but,  instead,  to  purchase  a 
good  camel  in  the  market,  slip  from  the  capital  that 
very  day,  and  return  to  the  peaceful  land  of  grass 
without  delay.  As  he  had  had  this  step  in  con- 


428          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

templation  for  some  time,  he  had  already  quietly 
despatched  his  boy  servant  with  the  animals  and 
the  tents  to  the  village  of  Ta  Lou  lying  on  the 
route  to  the  Great  Wall  and  instructed  him  to 
await  there  his  arrival. 

He  was  now  examining  attentively  the  camels 
for  sale  in  the  market.  He  lingered  before  one 
animal  whose  size  and  strength  seemed  suitable 
for  his  purpose.  Its  owner,  a  Tibetan,  watched 
the  inspection  with  indifference. 

It  was  precisely  at  this  moment  that  the  little 
Mongol  saw  a  big  black  camel  led  by  a  man  who 
was  peering  to  the  right  and  left,  carefully  scan 
ning  the  faces  of  those  about  him.  The  Mongol 
rubbed  his  eyes  and  looked  again.  The  size, 
the  shape,  the  awkward  gait  of  the  camel  were 
those  of  his  beloved  Lla,  but  the  colour  was  not 
her  colour.  Lla  was  a  beautiful  white,  he  told 
himself,  and  this  beast  was  a  hideous  black.  Then 
his  eyes  fell  on  the  man  leading  the  camel.  He 
gave  a  loud  shout  and,  springing  forward,  seized 
the  rope  from  his  hand. 

.  "Ah!  I  have  caught  you  at  last,  Sir  Stranger! 
What  devil's  deed  have  you  done  to  my  beloved 
Lla  that  now  she  is  black  where  formerly  she  was 
pearl  white?  Ah!  I  would  my  lips  had  grown 
shrivelled  and  sore  and  my  tongue  cracked  and 
dry  before  I  trusted  you  with  my  Lla!" 

In  his  excitement  he  forgot  everything  but  the 
return  of  his  cherished  camel  and  the  black  insult 
staring  at  him  from  her  shaggy  coat. 


Because  of  Lla  the  Bactrian  Camel  429 

Follingsbee  answered  in  low  tones.  "Not  so 
loud !  Not  so  loud !  I  returned  with  what  speed  I 
could,  my  Brother.  I  was  even  now  on  my  way  to 
the  Hotel  of  the  Five  Felicities.  As  for  the  colour, 
'twas  necessary — I  cannot  explain — but  a  white 
camel  would  not  have  been  permitted  to  pass  the 
city  gates." 

The  little  Mongol  suddenly  remembered  the 
Banner  man  and  the  five  hundred  taels  reward 
offered  for  the  capture  of  the  rider  of  his  white 
racing  camel.  He  glanced  fearfully  about;  he 
hoped  no  one  had  heard  his  angry  accusations. 
But  already  the  men  in  their  vicinity  were  crowd 
ing  around  them  to  examine  the  camel.  They  were 
not  long  in  detecting  her  spurious  colouring. 

"Yes!  Yes!"  they  shouted,  "the  beast  has 
been  dyed!  There  can  be  no  doubt  about  it!" 

"Behold!"  cried  one,  "here  is  the  proof!" 
And  dipping  his  hand  in  a  vessel  containing  water 
he  rubbed  his  wet  palm  along  the  camel's  side  and 
leg,  then  triumphantly  held  the  blackened  hand 
up  for  inspection. 

The  others  were  delighted  with  the  simplicity  of 
this  demonstration;  they  too  moistened  their 
hands  and,  vigorously  rubbing  the  animal,  ob 
tained  the  same  results.  This  damning  evidence 
produced  a  profound  sensation.  A  score  of  men 
fell  upon  Follingsbee,  while  others  seized  the  rope 
the  Mongol  was  clutching. 

"We  have  read  the  placards!"  they  shouted. 
"This  is  the  camel  wanted  by  the  authorities  and 


430         The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

this  is  the  man  who  rode  it.  Let  him  not  escape; 
secure  him  well !  The  five  hundred  taels'  reward 
is  ours!" 

In  their  determination  to  have  a  share  in 
Follingsbee's  capture  and  therefore  in  the  offered 
reward,  they  came  near  to  tearing  him  to  pieces. 
Their  shrill  cries  as  they  fought,  madly  plunging, 
panting  for  his  possession,  attracted  others  to 
the  scene.  A  charcoal  pedlar,  with  face  so  soiled 
from  handling  his  commodity  he  might  have  been 
a  blackamoor,  harangued  the  fighters.  "  Imbe 
ciles!  If  you  cease  not  your  foolish  fighting  and 
kill  him  amongst  you,  how  will  you  prove  to  the 
magistrates  he  is  the  man  who  rode  the  camel? 
Let  him  live  that  he  may  testify  himself  before 
the  judges  who  know  well  how  to  make  the  boldest 
liar  speak  truth — for  so  only  will  we  be  sure  of 
our  reward." 

"There  is  sense  in  what  he  says,"  shouted  the 
men  who  had  been  unable  to  get  their  clutch  on 
Follingsbee. 

"  If  he  convicts  himself, "  continued  the  charcoal 
pedlar,  " — and  a  few  hours  kneeling  on  coiled 
chains  will  help  his  memory  marvellously  well — 
then  the  five  hundred  taels  will  be  paid  us.  Not 
even  the  wiliest  magistrate  would  dare  trick  us 
out  of  what  is  ours  by  Imperial  Decree." 

"He  speaks  with  judgment,"  again  shouted 
those  in  the  rear.  Even  the  men  nearest  their 
captive  were  impressed  with  the  wisdom  of  the 
pedlar's  counsel. 


Because  of  Lla  the  Bactrian  Camel  431 

"Yes.  Let  him  confess  to  the  magistrates," 
they  cried. 

"Quick  then!  Cover  him  well,  lest  the  Banner- 
men  yonder  see  him  and  claim  for  themselves  our 
just  reward!"  cried  a  man. 

Someone  threw  an  empty  sack  over  Pollings- 
bee's  head  and  tied  it  below  his  waist  line. 

In  the  smothering  dust  of  this  covering  he  gasped 
and  choked  for  breath  and  with  his  teeth  tried  to 
tear  an  opening  to  reach  the  free  air. 

A  sharp  prick,  as  of  a  knife,  and  a  ripping 
sound  came  to  him.  Another  moment  and  he 
drew  cleaner  breath.  The  rasping  voice  he  had 
heard  haranguing  the  mob  about  him  said:  "I 
stuck  him — the  pig — a  little  blood-letting  will 
quiet  him  and  make  him  easier  to  lead  to 
market." 

The  men  laughed,  pleased  with  the  jest. 

The  same  voice  went  on:  "Dump  him  into 
my  coal  cart;  we'll  drive  him  to  the  magistrates; 
'twill  be  the  quicker  way.  I  will  sit  on  top  of 
him;  one  of  you  drive;  the  others  can  follow  afoot, 
though  they  must  run  fast  to  keep  pace  with  us, 
for  my  animal  is  a  marvel  for  speed !  He  has  passed 
his  fifteenth  year  and  lives  high  on  two  beans  and 
a  half  a  day." 

The  mob,  rendered  good  humoured  by  the 
jokes  of  the  pedlar,  accepted  his  leadership  and 
were  prompt  to  obey. 

Follingsbee  felt  himself  lifted  bodily  up  and 
thrown  into  a  charcoal  cart.  He  could  feel  the 


432          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

filled  sacks  under  him  and  the  jocose  leader  over 
him  and  hear  his  voice  again  directing : 

"Let  the  camel  follow.  So, — all  quiet  now  and 
forward.  I  will  hide  the  fellow's  feet  with  these 
sacks  lest  some  sharp  eye  catch  sight  of  them 
and  accuse  me  of  stealing  the  Mongol's  woman 
for  wife."  And  he  pointed  to  the  fat  little  Mongol 
still  clinging  tenaciously  to  the  rope  about  Lla's 
neck. 

A  roar  of  laughter  followed  this  speech,  for  the 
women  of  "the  Grass  Country"  with  their  un 
bound  feet  were  the  butt  of  frequent  and  coarse 
jests  among  the  Chinese,  who  admired  extrava 
gantly  the  "lily-formed"  feet  of  their  own  women. 

The  procession  started.  The  pedlar  watched 
the  men  running  beside  his  cart  and  chanted 
derisively  at  them  the  refrain  of  labourers  engaged 
in  their  work: 

"Ohe!  Oha?  Oho-ho.  Ohe!  Oha?  Oho- 
ho." 

And  while  he  sang  he  cut  surreptitiously  the 
cord  binding  Follingsbee  in  his  sack.  Then  he 
skilfully  shifted  his  seat  from  the  back  of  his 
prisoner  to  a  bag  of  charcoal  close  by. 

Follingsbee,  feeling  the  man's  weight  no  longer 
holding  him,  began  cautiously  to  extricate  himself 
from  his  covering.  He  was  rising,  when  a  hand 
pressed  him  quickly  down  and  the  pedlar 
whispered  in  English : 

"Lie  still — till  I  give  the  signal!" 

"Fen-Sha!"  gasped  Follingsbee.     "Is  it  you?" 


Because  of  Lla  the  Bactrian  Camel  433 

"Yes.  Hush!  Don't  move  on  your  life!" 
returned  the  pedlar. 

The  cart  rattled  slowly  on.  Above  them  the 
cloudless  sky  was  yellowing.  The  Bactrian  camel 
sniffed  the  air  uneasily ;  she  scented  a  storm.  Only 
her  Mongol  owner  noted  her  warning  and  scanned 
the  heavens  with  sly  satisfaction. 

Fen-Sha  counted  on  sheer  audacity  in  rescuing 
Follingsbee. 

Audacity  is  often  an  excellent  steed,  yet  there 
are  times  when  it  outruns  the  proper  pace  of 
true  success  and,  tripping,  throws  its  purpose. 
And  so  it  was  now. 

While  Fen-Sha  waited  for  a  favourable  oppor 
tunity  of  dashing  from  the  cart  with  Follingsbee, 
he  sought  to  entertain  the  men  surrounding  them 
with  spicy  gossip.  Finally  he  said:  "Have 
you  heard  of  the  great  robbery?'* 

"Where?"  they  cried. 

"  In  Cobbler's  Wax  Li's  villa,  near  Yang-lin.  The 
servants  of  his  household  robbed  his  treasure  vault." 

"Ho!"  they  shouted  delightedly.  "Cobbler's 
Wax  Li  robbed!  Tell  us  about  it." 

They  crowded  closer  around  the  cart;  some 
climbed  up  on  the  sides  of  the  vehicle.  The  man 
who  was  driving  turned  in  his  seat  the  better  to 
hear,  forgetting  to  guide  his  horse. 

*  *  Get  down !  Get  down ! ' '  cried  Fen-Sha,  trying 
to  push  the  men  off.  "You  are  impeding  our 
progress.  My  animal  cannot  haul  the  lot  of  you, " 
he  warned  them. 

28 


434         The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

"We  will  descend  after  you  have  related  the 
story  of  this  robbery." 

Realizing  the  futility  of  force,  either  physical 
or  argumentative,  Fen-Sha  made  the  best  of  a 
situation  which  he  inadvertently  had  rendered 
more  dangerous  than  before. 

"  Very  well,  I  will  tell  you  the  story, "  he  said. 

"How  came  you  by  it?"  asked  the  driver,  a 
big,  surly  fellow. 

"I  heard  it  from  the  country  folk,  to  be  sure, 
and  so  could  have  you,  had  you  been  by  the 
Western  Gates  early  yesterday  morning  engaged 
in  your  noble  and  lucrative  trade  of  gathering 
dung,  instead  of  lazily  snoring  on  a  sack  of  the 
stuff  in  your  mother-in-law's  house,"  returned 
Fen-Sha  coolly. 

The  driver  opened  his  mouth  to  retort  angrily, 
but  the  others  roared  with  laughter. 

Suddenly  they  ceased  laughing  to  watch  the 
driver,  who  was  grimacing  curiously  and  pointing 
at  the  floor  of  the  cart. 

"The  prisoner/1  he  shouted,  "has  his  head  out 
of  the  sack!  Who  untied  him?  Why,  that  base- 
mouthed  fellow  there !  Seize  him!" 

The  expression  of  wonder  and  wavering  on  the 
faces  of  the  men  changed  to  grim  resolve  as  they 
too  caught  sight  of  Follingsbee's  uncovered  head. 
Fen-Sha  pitched  the  driver  headlong  onto  the 
ground,  while  Follingsbee,  aware  that  the  moment 
had  come,  sprang  to  his  feet  and  hit  to  the  right 
and  left  with  such  vigorous  purpose,  the  men 


Because  of  Lla  the  Bactrian  Camel  435 

balanced  on  the  sides  of  the  cart  fell  off.  The 
fight  was  now  on  again  in  more  deadly  earnest  than 
before.  Others  in  the  market  attracted  by  the 
yells  rushed  to  learn  the  cause  of  the  fray  and 
learning  joined  lustily  in  it  with  the  hope  of 
sharing  in  the  reward. 

If  the  elements  themselves  had  not  that  moment 
come  to  the  assistance  of  the  two  friends  fighting 
for  their  lives,  their  fate  would  have  been  sealed. 

The  wind,  which  had  begun  to  blow  violently, 
of  a  sudden  increased  in  fury.  The  sky  still 
remained  cloudless,  but  its  yellow  tinge  had  turned 
a  deeper  hue  and  looked  opaque  as  if  a  thick 
curtain  had  been  drawn  across  the  entire  breadth 
of  the  heavens.  This  curtain  now  descended 
and  was  transformed  into  minute  particles  of 
sand  which  stung  the  faces  of  men  and  beasts 
with  whiplash  fierceness.  Whirl  clouds  of  dust 
grew  into  enormous  columns  carrying  up  with 
them  the  refuse  of  Peking's  streets  to  mingle  with 
the  sand  from  the  great  Gobi  desert.  This  ag 
glomeration  was  dashed  about  like  the  waves  of  a 
sea  in  a  hurricane.  The  air  became  so  thick  it 
was  difficult  to  distinguish  an  object  a  few 
paces  distant.  The  shouts  of  the  people  rushing 
for  shelter,  mingled  with  the  whistling  of  the 
wind.  Men  crouched  beside  their  camels;  most 
of  these  beasts  had  dropped  on  their  knees  and 
stretched  their  long  necks  close  to  the  ground. 
Instinct  taught  them  what  was  best  to  do. 

Riders  of  mules  and  horses  threw  their  arms 


436         The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

across  their  eyes  and  dashed  blindly  through  the 
market,  indifferent  to  the  cries,  if  indeed  they 
heard  them,  of  those  who  were  knocked  down 
beneath  the  hoofs  of  their  animals.  Never  had 
Peking  known  such  a  sandstorm,  and  only  travellers 
crossing  the  great  deserts  of  the  north  had  wit 
nessed  the  like  before. 

The  fighters  were  hitting  out  blindly,  scarce  able 
to  see  for  the  dust  and  sand  flints  in  their  eyes. 
Suddenly  the  shouts  of  the  men  leading  the 
Bactrian  camel  rose  above  the  yells  of  the  fighters. 

Lla  had  broken  loose  from  the  rope  and  with 
long,  swinging,  incredibly  swift  strides  was  bearing 
down  upon  them.  On  her  back,  leaning  far  over, 
whispering  in  her  ear,  was  the  fat  little  Mongol. 

Some  of  the  fighters  were  tramped  upon  by  the 
flying  hoofs  of  the  Bactrian  beast;  others  were 
kicked.  Among  the  latter  was  the  driver  who  had 
made  himself  leader  of  the  mob  around  the  cart. 
He,  had  no  more  stomach  for  blows,  his  own 
having  been  knocked  in. 

Amid  the  wild  confusion  caused  by  Lla's  plunge 
Fen-Sha  and  Follingsbee  leaped  from  the  cart. 
A  moment  after,  they  disappeared  in  the  dust 
clouds  sweeping  through  the  Mongol  market 
while  the  hoarse-throated  roar  of  the  men  vainly 
pursuing  them  was  lost  in  the  great  wind  from  the 
Gobi  desert  smiting  the  four  corners  of  Peking. 

A  few  hours  later  on  the  road  which  passes  the 
Ming  Tombs,  many  miles  north  of  Peking,  a 
Bactrian  racing  camel  with  curious  black  streaks 


Because  of  Lla  the  Bactrian  Camel  437 

on  her  huge  dirty  white  body  might  have  been 
seen  running  like  the  wind.  The  fat  little  Mongol 
on  her  back  was  smiling  happily. 

Far  away,  in  the  opposite  direction,  a  boat  was 
gliding  swiftly  down  the  Pei-ho.  On  the  mat- 
covered  deck,  hand  in  hand,  sat  Fen-Sha  and 
A-lu-te.  They  too  were  smiling  happily. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

ON  THE  CITY  WALL 

THE  sand  storm  which  blew  over  Peking  that 
morning  threatened  to  spoil  the  picnic-tea  Princess 
PontiofE  was  giving  on  the  Tartar  City  wall.  The 
storm,  however,  though  sharp  and  fierce,  was  of 
short  duration  and  the  guests,  leaving  their 
ponies  at  the  foot  of  the  esplanade,  merrily 
mounted  the  wall  to  join  their  hostess.  But 
Betty's  gaiety  was  forced.  The  German  Charge 
d'Affaires  commented  about  it  in  a  low  voice  to 
the  Princess.  She  threw  a  kindly  glance  at 
the  girl.  "  I  hear  her  father  contemplates  sending 
her  home  to  complete  her  education,"  she  said. 
4 'She  does  not  want  to  go.  An  education  seems 
to  her  a  superfluous  adjunct  to  a  pleasant  life. 
Perhaps  she  is  right;  who  knows?  I  am  myself 
fairly  happy,  yet  never  have  I  mastered  the 
multiplication  table!"  And  the  Princess  smiled 
as  she  sipped  her  tea. 

"By-the-way, "  remarked  a  young  Customs 
man  to  the  company  in  general,  "have  any  of 
you  heard  about  the  plucky  Chinese  chap  who 
rode  a  racing  camel  to  Tientsin  and  by  presenting 

438 


On  the  City  Wall  439 

a  fraudulent  imperial  decree  effected  the  escape  of 
the  reformer  Fen-Sha,  condemned  to  die  that 
very  day?" 

"Really!"  said  the  Princess  voicing  the  languid 
interest  of  her  guests;  "do  tell  us  about  it." 

A  pronounced  characteristic  of  foreign  society 
in  the  Chinese  capital  was  its  indifference  to,  even 
ignorance  of,  events  which  took  place  as  it  were 
under  its  very  nose.  If  new  concessions  were 
granted  to  foreign  countries,  or  reparation 
demanded  for  injuries  done  missionaries,  mer 
chants,  or  travellers,  or  if  trade  privileges  were 
wrung  from  the  reluctant  Yamen  by  a  rival 
state,  if  any  or  all  of  these  things  occurred,  diplo 
matic  society  in  Peking  knew  about  it  and  was 
interested  or  not  according  to  the  degree  of 
importance  attached  to  each  fact. 

But  of  affairs  pertaining  exclusively  to  the 
Chinese  themselves,  foreign  society  did  not  trouble 
its  head.  So  it  happened  that  while  every  Pek 
ingese  of  high  or  low  estate  was  discussing  the 
extraordinary  escape  from  prison  of  the  great 
reformer  Fen-Sha  and  the  capture  of  the  notorious 
but  unknown  camel  rider  in  the  Mongol  market 
that  morning,  it  remained  for  a  youthful  Customs 
man  at*  a  picnic-tea  to  express  the  first  mild 
interest  of  foreigners  in  either  event. 

Only  Betty  evinced  a  keen  desire  to  hear  his 
remarks.  She  leaned  forward  eagerly  to  listen. 

"Sing,  my  house-boy,  is  my  informant,"  he 
continued;  "he  says  in  the  tea-houses  nothing 


440          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

else  has  been  talked  of  for  the  past  three  days. 
Tonight  there  will  be  an  exciting  climax  to  discuss, 
for  it  is  reported  that  this  morning  the  fellow  was 
caught  in  the  Mongol  market  with  his  camel, 
which  he  had  stained  black.  If  true,  of  course 
he  will  be  decapitated.  I  never  thought  I  would 
care  a  brass  farthing  whether  a  pigtailed  China 
man  got  his  celestial  head  chopped  off  or  not, 
but,  by  Jove,  I  would  jolly  well  like  to  hear  this 
chap  wras  out  of  the  clutches  of  the  officials." 

"I  believe  there  is  a  curious  report  circulating 
around  that  the  camel  rider  was  not  a  Chinese," 
said  the  first  secretary  of  the  French  Legation. 

Betty  caught  her  breath  sharply  and  turned 
pale. 

"Whether  he  is  a  Chinaman,  Jap,  Corean,  or 
native  of  Timbuctoo  doesn't  much  matter,  for 
tomorrow  hell  be  clay  anyway,"  asserted  the 
young  Customs  man. 

Betty's  pallor  became  more  pronounced.  Cap 
tain  Bertram  was  seated  beside  her;  he  regarded 
her  anxiously.  "Oh,  I  say!  You  mustn't  take 
the  affair  so  much  to  heart.  The  Chinese  courts 
are  always  executing  men  you  know,  and  besides," 
he  added  quickly,  for  Betty  was  looking  at  him 
with  eyes  big  with  a  dreadful  horror,  "besides, 
the  fellow  isn't  dead  yet  you  know." 

She  staggered  to  her  feet.  "It's — it's  getting 
close  again,"  she  gasped. 

"What  a  tender-hearted  little  girl  you  are!" 
he  mentally  commented.  Aloud  he  said,  "Yes, 


On  the  City  Wall  441 

beastly  close/*  ignoring  the  fact  that  the  air  was 
as  always  after  a  sand  storm  singularly  clear  and 
fresh. 

Betty  leaned  on  the  parapet  and  gazed  with 
unseeing  eyes  on  the  street  below.  The  road 
stretching  along  this  portion  of  the  Tartar  City 
wall  was  the  least  frequented  of  any  in  the  capital. 
It  was  deserted  now  except  for  the  mafoos  in 
charge  of  the  ponies.  Bertram  talked  of  the 
tennis  match  soon  to  come  off,  of  the  "minstrel 
show"  to  be  given  by  a  half  score  of  English 
Legation  students,  who,  he  laughingly  assured 
Betty,  had  never  seen  a  "nigger"  in  their  lives 
and  much  less  knew  how  they  talked. 

While  he  was  engaged  in  efforts  to  divert  her, 
he  saw  in  the  distance  a  Chinese  turn  into  the 
street  below.  The  man  was  running  like  a  streak, 
his  long  legs  leaping  over  the  ground.  Fifteen 
or  twenty  Chinese  were  in  hot  pursuit,  yelling 
loudly.  His  eyes  were  bulging;  flecks  of  foam 
trickled  from  his  mouth. 

"By  Jove!"  exclaimed  Bertram,  watching  him, 
"what  a  sprinter!  Didn't  know  a  Chinaman 
could  go  like  that.  Runs  as  though  he  had  been 
trained  on  a  Varsity  track  team.  See  how 
his  legs  go  high  out  in  front  and  not  far  out  behind 
and  how  his  arms  move  in  unison  with  them!" 

The  shouts  of  the  men  as  they  drew  nearer 
became  more  distinct.  The  mafoos  jumped 
from  their  squatting  positions  by  the  ponies,  with 
evident  intention  of  intercepting  the  racer. 


442          The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

Betty,  watching  it  all,  felt  a  sudden  tightening 
in  her  throat  without  knowing  why.  "What  are 
they  calling?"  she  asked. 

Bertram  leaned  far  over  the  parapet  straining 
to  catch  the  words.  "As  I'm  living!  they're 
saying  he  is  the  camel  rider  for  whose  capture 
five  hundred  taels  have  been  offered!" 

Betty's  face  went  perfectly  white. 

"Oh,  Captain  Bertram,  save  him!  Save  him!" 
she  cried.  Her  blue  eyes  Were  raised  imploringly 
to  his  face;  her  own  was  drawn  with  terror.  "He 
is — "  she  whispered  through  parched  lips — "he  is 
John  Follingsbee ! " 

Sudden  comprehension  came  to  Bertram.  He 
looked  into  Betty's  agonized  face,  then  without  a 
word  tore  down  the  esplanade  near  which  they 
had  been  standing. 

Betty's  intuitions  were  right.  When  Follings 
bee  returned  to  the  capital  after  seeing  A-lu-te 
and  Fen-Sha  safely  embarked  on  the  river,  he 
was  recognized  by  a  man  who  had  helped  in  his 
capture  in  the  Mongol  market  that  morning. 
The  fellow  gave  the  alarm  and  the  chase  began. 
Follingsbee  could  have  outstripped  his  pursuers 
had  not  others,  attracted  by  their  cries,  constantly 
taken  the  place  of  those  who  dropped  behind. 

The  mqfoos,  seized  with  the  contagion  of  the 
man  chase  and  stimulated  by  the  knowledge 
of  the  reward,  stood  ready  to  intercept  him. 

Follingsbee  raised  his  bulging,  bloodshot  eyes 
and  saw  them.  He  felt  then  that  the  race  for  his 


On  the  City  Wall  443 

life  was  lost.  Behind  him  the  pursuers  were 
gaining.  At  this  moment  Bertram  reached  the 
street. 

"Get  my  horse!"  he  shouted  to  his  mafoo. 
4 'Take  him  to  the  middle  of  the  road  and  wait. 
Be  quick!  I'll  divide  five  hundred  taels  among 
every  mafoo  here  if  this  man  escapes!" 

Even  as  he  shouted  he  ran  to  meet  Follingsbee 
and  turning  again  he  kept  alongside  of  him  setting 
the  pace  for  the  panting  racer. 

"It's  all  right,  old  man!"  he  encouraged  him. 
"Keep  it  up  just  a  little  longer.  Don't  drop, 
don't  drop!  don't  drop!  A-ah!  here's  the  horse. 
Now!  Ready!  Mount!" 

With  an  almost  superhuman  effort  Follingsbee, 
whose  breath  was  coming  in  short  painful  gasps, 
leaped  into  the  saddle.  Bertram  struck  the  horse 
a  stinging  blow  on  his  haunches  and  the  animal 
tore  down  the  street.  After  that  Bertram  turned 
and  coolly  faced  the  mob  now  screaming  furiously 
and  vowing  to  be  avenged  upon  him.  Something 
in  the  young  Englishman's  nonchalant  bearing, 
together  with  the  cold  menace  in  his  eyes,  caused 
them  to  hesitate  as  they  drew  near.  And  when 
the  mafoos — there  wTere  eight  of  them  and  all  with 
whips — reviled  them  lustily,  told  them  they  were 
fools,  that  their  brains  had  been  drawn  through 
their  ears  in  infancy,  that  the  escaped  man  was 
not  the  camel  rider,  but  a  mafoo  like  themselves 
and  in  the  employ  of  the  English  Legation  and 
well  they  knew  that  no  Englishman  allows  his 


444         The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

servants  to  be  molested  by  such  pigs,  rats,  scor 
pions  as  they  were,  they  turned  and  departed  quite 
tranquilly.  There  are  no  people  on  the  face  of 
the  globe  who  can  pass  from  fierce  anger  to  un 
ruffled  composure  with  the  unblinking  rapidity 
of  the  Chinese. 

While  Bertram  again  mounted  the  esplanade 
the  mafoos  put  their  heads  together  and  calcu 
lated  to  a  nicety  how  many  times  the  numeral 
eight  divided  the  numeral  five  hundred.  They 
did  not  care  a  beggar's  clap-bowl  whether  the 
man  was  the  camel  rider  or  not,  nor  why  the 
Englishman  had  helped  him  escape.  The  English, 
they  agreed,  were  a  notoriously  queer,  incom 
prehensible  people  and  the  only  definite  fact  about 
them  was  their  word.  Once  given,  it  could  be 
relied  upon  like  fate  or  death  or  the  ethics  of 
Confucius. 

Up  on  the  wall  the  other  men  were  rushing  to 
Bertram's  assistance,  when  they  saw  the  mob 
quietly  depart. 

"What  was  the  row?"  they  asked  as  he  joined 
them. 

"Only  a  poor  devil  racing  for  his  life,"  he 
answered. 

"You'll  never  see  your  horse  again,"  Prince 
PontiofT  assured  him. 

"Rather  think  I  will.  D'ye  see,  I  know  the 
man — made  a  mistake  about  him  once  and — er, 
well,  I  was  glad  of  a  chance  to  help  him." 

"Is  he  safe  now?"     The  question  leaped  from 


On  the  City  Wall  445 

Betty's  quivering  lips  like  a  cry.  She  had  watched 
the  race  with  hands  gripped  tightly  together, 
paralyzed  into  complete  silence  by  her  terror 
for  Follingsbee.  Her  voice,  which  she  struggled 
hard  to  make  steady,  sounded  strange  to  her 
own  ears. 

Bertram  glanced  at  her  with  swrift  scrutiny  and 
his  face  twitched  as  if  with  sudden  pain. 

"Quite  safe,"  he  answered  quietly. 

She  trembled  with  relief  and  Bertram  managed 
to  divert  attention  from  her  by  challenging  the 
Prince  to  wager  that  his  horse  would  be  found  in 
the  stables  on  the  morrow. 

Soon  afterwards  the  picnickers  returned  home. 
When  Mr.  Danford  heard  the  story  of  Pollings- 
bee's  escape  and  much  else  besides  from  Betty 
— she  sobbed  it  all  out  with  her  head  buried  in 
his  waistcoat — he  exclaimed,  "  Child!  Child! 
Why  have  you  kept  silent  all  this  time?  A  few 
words  would  have  explained  everything  and 
prevented  us  from  misjudging  and  discrediting 
Mr.  Follingsbee!" 

" Because, "  sobbed  Betty,  "because  he  made  me 
promise  not  to  tell ;  he  was  afraid  of  compromising 
you  with  the  Chinese  Government." 

"Good  Lord!  And  we  have  been  treating  him 
more  or  less  like  a  pariah ! "  ejaculated  the  Minister 
ruefully. 

"I  didn't!"  Betty  reminded  him  proudly, 
lifting  her  tear-stained  face. 

11  No, "  admitted  her  father  with  a  slow  reflective 


446         The  Breath  of  the  Dragon 

smile.  "Now  that  I  think  of  it,  I  believe  you 
didn't. 

Follingsbee  did  not  come  to  the  American 
Legation  that  night.  Instead  he  wrote  Betty 
a  note  which  brought  the  roses  radiantly  to  her 
cheeks. 

She  slept  with  the  note  tucked  carefully  under 
her  pillow  and  dreamed  of  paradise. 

The  next  morning  Follingsbee  called  on  Mr. 
Danford.  He  remained  in  the  Minister's  office 
upwards  of  half  an  hour. 

Betty  was  sure  of  this  because  she  was  watching 
the  timepiece  on  the  drawing-room  table.  When 
the  round  face  of  the  clock — looking  for  all  the 
world  like  a  lover's  full  moon — showed  three 
minutes  past  the  half  hour,  the  office  door  leading 
into  the  drawing-room  opened  and  John  Follings 
bee  came  in.  His  face,  with  its  look  of  quick 
intelligence,  strong  will,  and  calm  valour,  had  new 
lines  carved  deep  upon  it,  lines  that  are  modelled 
on  the  human  countenance  not  by  the  great 
sculptor  Time,  but  by  the  heart  and  soul  of  a 
man  who  has  achieved  his  purpose  by  playing 
perilously  with  death  the  while. 

Betty  rose  at  his  entrance,  then  stood  still,  her 
cheeks  aflame  like  roses  in  a  June  garden,  her 
breath  fluttering,  her  eyes  hidden  under  their 
dark  lashes.  Follingsbee  came  swiftly  toward 
her  and  caught  both  her  hands  in  his.  Still  she 
did  not  move  or  speak. 

"Betty!"  he  cried,  in  his  voice  the  sharp  pain  of 


On  the  City  Wall  447 

sudden  doubt.  She  raised  her  eyes  then  that  he 
might  see,  and  for  one  long  lover's  moment  he 
held  her  close. 

Then  Betty  slipped  like  a  dream  from  his  arms. 
"I  am  so  happy,"  she  said,  "that  it  hurts." 

"Let  me  kiss  the  hurt,  sweetheart, "  he  laughed 
joyously,  and  bending  his  head  he  kissed  her. 


THE  END 


The 
More  Exceflent  Way 

By 
Cyrus  Townsend  Brady 

72°.     Color  Frontispiece.    $IJ5 

A  tale  of  modern  society  and  the  di 
vorce  question,  with  the  scenes  laid  in 
New  York,  Sorrento,  Bermuda,  and 
Reno.  Rarely  has  an  author,  without 
attempt  at  preaching,  written  a  story  so 
subtly  influential,  so  provocative  of 
thought,  even  while  it  seems  to  leave 
no  time  for  thought  in  the  swift  succes 
sion  of  its  dramatic  developments. 

"'The  More  Excellent  Way'  de 
serves  good  place  on  the  shelf  of  read 
able  books."— AT.  Y.  Times. 

G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons 

New  York  London 


Desmond's  Daughter 

By 
Maud   Diver 

Author    of    "Captain    Desmond,    V.C.,"    "The    Great 

Amulet,"  "The  Hero  of  Herat,"  "The 

Judgment  of  the  Sword,"  etc. 

/2°.     Color  Frontispiece.    #1.50 

Readers  of  Captain  Desmond,  V.C.9  The 
Great  Amulet,  and  Candles  in  the  Wind  will 
welcome  the  addition  to  this  trilogy  of 
another  glowing  Anglo-Indian  tale,  in 
cluding  the  true  story  of  the  Tirah 
campaign.  The  Daughter  has  the 
strength  of  personality  that  one  would 
expect  from  the  offspring  of  so  virile  a 
character,  and  the  scenes  of  Anglo- 
Indian  life  are  the  true,  thrilling  scenes 
that  have  won  fame  for  the  author. 


G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons 

New  York  London 


The  Cab  of  the 
Sleeping  Horse 

By 
John  Reed  Scott 

Author  of  "The  Colonel  of  the  Red  HuMar*,"  etc. 

72°.     Color  Frontispiece.    Price.  $135 

From  the  moment  of  the  discovery  by  the 
hero  of  the  trampled  roses  and  the  cypher 
message  in  the  driverless  cab,  the  horse  of 
which  is  peacefully  slumbering,  up  to  the  end 
of  the  final  page,  this  story  of  diplomatic 
intrigue  in  Washington  of  today  moves  with 
never  a  halt.  Readers  familiar  with  the  earlier 
books  by  Mr.  Scott  need  not  be  reminded 
that  when  he  chooses  to  write  a  delightful  love 
story  with  an  accompaniment  of  this  sort  no 
one  should  start  to  read  it  unless  ready  to 
continue  to  the  end  without  putting  it  down. 

G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons 

New  York  London 


To  the  Minute 

By 
Anna  Katharine  Green 

Author    of    "The    Leaven  worth    Case,"    "That    Affair 
Next  Door,"  etc. 

72°.    Color  Frontispiece.    $1.00 

A  fascinating  story  by  "the  foremost  writer 
of  mystery  novels  in  America."  A  rebellious 
boy,  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  runs  away  from 
"home"  where  he  has  lived  with  his  miserly 
grandfather.  At  the  old  man's  death  (from 
suicide),  he  is  called  back  by  his  cousin  Judith, 
also  an  orphan  and  the  only  other  heir  to  the 
miser's  money.  There  is  a  third  person,  who 
had  tried  to  induce  Judith  to  marry  him,  and 
around  these  three  and  the  forbidding  house  is 
woven  the  most  exciting  mystery  story  of  many 
a  day. 

G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons 

New  York  London 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 
LOAN  DEPT. 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below,  or 

on  the  date  to  which  renewed. 
Renewed  books  are  subject  to  immediate  recall. 


*  MW'sauj 

REC'D  LD 

APR  2  8  1959 

^»'68                                UriSSggffiZnrf. 

IB  32635 


